Thicker than water, Thicker than blood
by Asta-the-GS
Summary: 17 years after Diana leaves for Themyscira without saying goodbye. Bruce learns about their daughter who quickly enters his life and brings along Ancient enemies that threatening to destroy humanity. Can he save her and the world? Can he save what's left of his family? Full summary on my profile
1. Prologue

**Disclaimers ::** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N ::** In short! I own nothing but the silly plots. And seriously do not make money from it. So please don't sue me!

**EDIT ::** This chapter has been beta-ed! Big thanks to **harpandsword** for being a knight in shining armor and fought the dragon (my bad grammars) and save my day!

I will be repost each chapter after it's been beta, so if anyone want to come back and re-read, feel free to! :D

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**Prologue;**

She'd dreamt about this city long before she came here, had spent years imagining it. Wandering thoughts filled her mind on lonely nights after hard days of training. She would think about what it would be like, abouthow tall those towers would be and pondering why her father would love a cityso much.

And why would this love of a city outweigh his desire to come for her?

Back on the island she would spend hoursdaydreaming, Staringacross seemingly endless deep blue ocean beyond the shore, asking herself why he never came.

To save her, to save her mother.

It made her question things. It made her question if his love was true, if he would choose her mother before his self appointed duty to his city, if he would take the risk to break the sacred rule and step on that land on which men are forbidden. It made her question if he would love her, his flesh and blood, his daughter.

But she couldnever know the answer to these questions. She never figured out what those reasons would be. And years later**,** she stopped asking them. She didn't need any more griefwith whichto suffocate herself.

But her thoughts of this city never faded. Curiosity still ran wild in her head whenever she gave it the chance. It became something she would think of in her last lucidmoment as she drifted into slumber or those moments in front of the fire in the woods during hunting nights. It would come and go. And she would ignore it, pretending it was some nonsense that her brainconjured in boredom.

Now that she was here, in Gotham City, standingon one of the highest towers, windblowingacross her skin, those questions seemed to seep themselves back into her mind.

She had beenhere for a while now, watching, seeing, observing, waiting. She hadheard things aboutthe city'sprotector, who worked in darkness and inflicted criminals with fear. He was the myth, the legend, the bed-time story.

And after the almost two months she'd been her, she still had not met him.

The dark knight, as her mother had called him proudly whenever she told her the story about him.

But she wasn't her mother, she didn't like Gotham. It was damp and humid in the summer. And now that fall was coming, the air was dry and cold. She wasn't used to the cold**;** where she grew up was always warm and the sun always shone down and touched her skin. Here in Gotham, the sky was always cloudy. The sun was still shinning but barely made it past the thick grim layers of clouds, making the day time feel like early evening. She liked thenight time, though. It was cooler and less thewind picked up after the sun was down. Lights were lit across the city from tall towers. Thevivid picture charmed her, but she still didn't quite know why. But she didn't care.

Before her thoughts of the city grew larger in her mind**,** a bright spotlight was shot into the sky. The picture of a bat waspainted across the gray cloudand the siren rang through the air. She stared at it. Knowing somewhere in this dark place**,** someone would need saving.

But she will not be the one saving anyone tonight, of course.

It wasn't her job anyway. She had another purpose for her presencehere. Her hand slid down to the cold metal that was strapped on her right thigh as if to assure herself. The coldness of slim dagger did makeher feel much better. She then pulled the hood of her dark cloak back. Silver bracelets on her wrists shone vividly with thelights fromdown below.

The night was still young, and while Gotham and its protector was still busy, she had a job to do.

She smirked under darkness of her cloak before leaping into the night.

She was going to break into some museum and if she was lucky, just maybe**,** she would get to slay some monsters. Again.

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Short Prologue, I know.


	2. 1 Of Family's Matters

Disclaimers :: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

So in short! I own nothing but the silly plots. And seriously do not make money from it. So please don't sue me!

A/N :: This story took place sometimes after JL/JLU episode "The Once and Future Thing" with plot twisted. And English is not my first language, Sorry I butchered it. You'v been warned!

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**Chapter 1 - Of Family's matters.**

_Families aren't easy to join. They're like an exclusive country club where membership makes impossible demands and the dues for an outsider are exorbitant._  
**_-_****ERMA BOMBECK, _Family: The Ties that Bind ... And Gag!_**

The breeze of Mediterranean coast always carried the rich scent of sea. Here in Crete always warm. People were nice and the street never too busy or too noisy. She loved being here and never regretted choosing to stay in this small Island instead of rule over Olympus with her children. Now many eons had passed, she traveled the world, of course. Visited other places and seeing what had changed throughout times but she always came back to Crete. She loved mingling with locales. Pretending to be one of them. To live and enjoy the short their lives before Death struck and the soul travel to be judge in The Underworld. She used to love faking her own deaths, but after thousands ways of them, she started to get bore. Though she never married to any mortals, no one couldn't blame her if they knew what her husband did with her children.

But all of these changed soon with the visit of her sister. Though she knew that this day would come and she had been prepare to face the past but memories of the violence were still fresh in her mind even after many eons. But she wouldn't show it to anyone, although as devastated as she was. She used to be the Queen of the Gods once. She covered her mouth with her hand in disbelieve as she watch the current event unfold in her mystical mirror.

Diana had learned the truth about her father…..  
So did Hera.

She staggered back and slumped on to her bed. She knew this day would come. She was only hope that it would have be after Diana had bear her child. But as soon as she learned the truth, The queen of Olympian struck her down in that instance. If it wasn't because of her sister's intervene. The Princess of Amazon would have turn into dusk.

She knew fully well about her daughter's distaste in infidelity, She was best known for going after her husband's affairs(one side or not) and struck them or their offsprings down. Because they were forbid to attack each other directly. So she turned to the next best thing instead. Many demigods were cursed to tragic lives just because they were sire by the God of the sky. But that was years were passed. And the last time she released her wrath was after World War II. She almost glad that her daughter believed that Zeus finally came around and saw her as his one and only just like how she wanted it.

But with only few people knew the truth.

When Hippolypta, Queen of the Amazons prayed for a child as she sculpted the clay in the shape of a child. After many hours she laid down on the sand and fell asleep. Zeus who was watching the queen of Amazon who was a fierce warrior want the child of her own, enchanted with such determination. He was entrance by her. So he went around behind everyone's back and grant her that wish with himself. But after he knew what he did would have enrage his wife. He made the child who he sire sprang out of sleeping Hippolypta before she realized she was pregnant and place her on the shore next to her mother. Made the queen believe that the child was granted by the gods.

The Amazon queen herself was never knew until the great prophecy was re-told once again by the last Oracle of Delphi. She was devastated. Feared for her daughter's safety and felt betrayed by Zeus. She forbid the princess to leave the island and help the outside world. Because if she had learn her true powers it would meant the world would know her origin. And The queen of Olympus would as well know the truth. Thousand years passed and Hippolyta succeeded until when the princess left the island to save the world from the Invasion.

All Hades started to break loose from there. Diana wasn't supposed to fall in love with a mortal. She was an Amazon. A female warrior who was taught to hate men. But she did so anyway. Worse than that she laid with that mortal.

And that brought the subject to this present day. As she watched her own daughter struck down her grandchild with force. Diana would have turned to some livestock or worse, death. Hera's rage had blind her to see how much good deeds the princess had done over the years as one of the greatest heroes on earth.

But all of these events had been foretold repetely. Everything happened just like the Oracles and Leto had predicted eons ago. All of these were meant to happen all to serve a certain purpose…

"Mona! Mona, are you home?!"

The voice outside called out her recent 'mortal name' snapped her back to reality. She blinked several times and waved her hand dismissing the motions in her mirror to disperse. The reflection of a deep auburn hair with deep blue eyes in her thirties staring back at her.

That was Mona Fisher. Her recent mortal form. After many years of living above the humanity. She thought it would be fun to live _as_ one. Or many. It helped her with her boredom as she stated before. And she was quite fond of Mona Fisher's life. She was an American woman who taught English at a middle school in Heraklion. She lived a simple single life. Enjoyed reading romance novels and eating _Koukouvagia _and Greek yogurt. She loved teaching kids. It reminded her of the children she had but never had the chance to raise them.

She composed herself and made sure she didn't look anything close to devastation state earlier, she poke her head out the window to see the source of familiar noise. A teenage boy with dark curly hair and tan skin was standing down on the street in front of her house. He was one of her students. next to him was a blond hair woman who dress in expensive designer clothes from head to toes with sunglass and Ivory Big brim hat…..She recognized the woman right away. She ran downstairs to the front door. As the door swung open the blond woman smiled beamingly at her.

"Sister! It's been a long time!" She beamed as she pulled the owner of the house in to a tight hug.

"Long time Indeed" She answered after been released from an embrace. She turned to the teenage boy who just stood there with his face flushed red. "Thank you, Pasha. Could you tell your mother I won't be over for dinner today?"

Pasha seemed to lost ability to speak as he still stared at the blond woman with dreamy eyes. That was natural, with the goddess of beauty in front of him. Not that he needed to know. So she coughed lightly made the boy snapped his attention back to her. "Huuhh? Oh ok, Mona"

He stammered and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, his face flushed redder. "I guess I will be going then! See you!"

Both of them watched the boy ran down the street with a little trip over he composed himself quickly before turned at the next street.

"A nice young man, he is. ….Surely he would be handsome in a few years" The blond woman stated as they enter the house. She took of her sunglass and looked around as the owner locked the door and started closing all the windows.

"Don't even think about it, Aphrodite" She warned. Knowing how her sister could sway around with handsome young mortals every now and then. After she made sure all the windows on the first floor was shut she led her sister upstairs and started the process once again. It didn't take long since her house was small. And after the waved of her hand the barrier was cast. They were finally alone in private space without anyone could hear their conversation, mortals or monsters, even the gods themselves could not dispel it unless it was done by her alone.

"Rhea, I take it as you know what just happened with our champion?" Aphrodite said as she sat down casually on the chair next to the bed. Her face scrunched up with from uncomfortable wooden surface but she didn't complain.

"Yes, sister. And Thank you for intervening, I know you would made an enemy out of Hera but that saved two lives" She said. Hearing her true name once again almost brought back many things in the past. "You had saved my granddaughter and her child"

"Please. Take it as a payback for her being the cause of my force marriage" She rolled her eyes. "But Diana would have to leave the man's world soon. My power wasn't able to destroy the curse. It would only serve as a proxy. Hera's wrath was quite disastrous, so did her fashion"

Many people would interpreted Aphrodite as a shallow and vain goddess who inflicted them with desire and lust even they don't want to be. Many gods had blamed her for their coupling with mortals(Especially Zeus) for she made them attracted to humans. And that what her powers were. She was powerful enough to influence even the gods themselves to feel love and desire, to break the vow of marriage for other lovers. She was one of the Titan just like she was. Though born youngest from all of them, She grew from cut off limps of Ouranos that was throw in the sea. As many Titans were locked in the pit of Tartarus or crused during the ancient war, Aphrodite hailed from the sea foams, grew as the embodiment of desire.

And with The magic griddle, a wedding gift from her husband. She could change her apparences, faces, hair colors, eye colors, body shapes. Many men would view her as their subject of desire. Made it hard to resist her advance. She never understood why Hephaestus would gave his wife such a thing to help her unfaithful affairs.

"Any words from Hades?" Asked Rhea.

"Nothing except the same old 'nothing I cannot handle'" Aphrodite examined her perfectly done nails before continue "One thing that I am worry, that is how this child would survive without her mother on the island full of women who hate men. If it turned out to be a son not daughter…."

"It would be a girl, Leto was never wrong. She was the source of Apollo's Prophecy" Ashe assured her sister. "I had spoken to Eileithyia*. She would help with the childbirth when the time comes. And I shall stay and made sure the child grow up as she should be without her mother…."

Aphrodite didn't change the worrying look on her beautiful face. Still looking at her nails she spoke again.

"Do you think it would be her then? Do you think she would be the child of the prophecy?"

"We had speculated last time that it would be Diana. But turned out that she wasn't….." She replied, seeing her sister's rosy lips drew a thin line. She knew that Zeus would also blame her for him lusting after The Amazon queen in the first place.

"But the prophecy said they would be Legacies of Zeus. One who will start the war and another who will end it…"

"Legacy it say. Doesn't mean it would have to be his children, sister. It might be his grandchildren or great-grandchildren…."

"I would hope it would be great-grandchildren…" Aphrodite said. Her perfect brows drew together.

"Prolonging is nothing but making the enemy stronger" Rhea replied in a calm voice.

"And even that enemy is your own Husband?"

"Indeed. I knew him well that is why I wanted to aid Diana's child to fulfill her destiny" She said but the look in the other goddess's eyes still shone with worries

"I would only hope it would not be Ares this time…." After a few moment of silence, Aphrodite finally said.

"It would be female legacies as the prophecy said"

"But what if the prophecy was wrong?..."

"Then we can only hope for the best that our chosen hero would do her best in this tiresome war"

"I hope you are right, sister…" Aphrodite looked defeated for a moment but revived back to herself within a short time. She sprang up from the chair and clapped her hands together. "Alright, Back to the matter at hand before we must depart for the council at Olympus… Do you still kept _that thing_?"

"Of course. I take it as you already spoke to Hephaestus about remaking then?" Rhea answered as she waved her hand once more, appeared the golden chest. With her touch the lock snapped opened. They both looked inside seeing the brilliantly bright sparkle from the curve of the sharp blade which sat inside.

"I must I have to say thank to this unpleasant thing for the birth of me" Aphrodite's tone was almost sarcastic. But Rhea only smiled.

"Ensure Hephaestus that he must reforge this in secret. Anyone could be the child of prophecy who bring upon the war" Rhea closed the chest.

"Well, That's that. Now time for you to crash the party!" Aphrodite beamed as she turned around and asked her sister "Can I ride with you on your Celestial Chariot? Since Ares had been punished for his wrong doing I haven't been able to…"

"Maybe you should asked your Husband to make one for you, sister"

The former queen of gods only smiled sweetly at the complaining sister, She looked back around her second floor which only a bedroom and bathroom. She would miss this small and simple house. Warm sea breeze and delicious _Koukouvagia_. Maybe she would teach the Amazon how to make it. And her students at the school in Heraklion. But the new role she would soon become, more than just a teacher, she would have to raise this child.

So, as much as she would miss being Mona Fisher. She was still happy to fulfill this role for this plan of the Fates. And soon she was going to plan her own death again, and maybe it might just be the last time.

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It was blindly bright when she opened her eyes so she had to shut them back and started blinking a few time before opened them again. The plain celling looked familiar and the smell of sterile environment and simple patient gown she donned confirming that she was in Medical Bay at the Watchtower.

"Diana…" Familiar voice called her name as she started to sit up on the bed. But the pain was so great that made her winced. Then came the strong hands pushing her to lay back down. She turned to see handsome face of her best friend. His blue eyes shone with concern.

"…What…?..." She opened her mouth to speak but her throat burn as the word came out. Making her swallowed all the words back.

"You were hit by the impact of the lightning your bracelets discharged. You knocked out after that" Superman answered her as if he could read her mind. She blinked. Trying to make sense out of the situation.

It was an emergency in Gotham City. Usually Batman would have handle it without the league's help. But this time Royal Flush Gang and decided it would be fun to raid the Amusement park in broad daylight full of kids and parents. Even Batman didn't want them to interfere, Royal Flush Gang was one of rouge groups The Justice League is tracking down. Diana and Green Lantern were the first responders beside Batman who was already there. With Superman on the way.

Green Lantern almost successfully evacuated the civilians and the Royal flush Gang was defeated by Diana and Batman. So Batman sent her to help her to help crowds control with Green Lantern That was when Bane showed up and all hell broke loose. End up all the commotion Royal Flush Gang caused was diversion for Bane and this men to moved his new venom to the port. But since He's Bane. How wouldn't let his chance to break more of the Batman's bones slipped away. And as he put it, He was testing the new kind of Venom. Whatever it was, it turned Bane even stronger than before. Though Batman severed this venom tubes. Bane still managed to broke his arms and his left leg, cracked a few of his ribs. That when Diana rushed in time to take the blow intending to break his spine.

Devastated at the sight of Batman's broken body, laid face down on the ground. With Bane hovered over him, his fist raised, ready to finish the Batman. Fury rose inside her. She flew right in time to take the blow. But as his fist connect to her bracelets, The Lightning struck down from the cloudy sky of Gotham. The bolt hit her the metal of her bracelet as it stuck Bane's fist, frying him. But the impact was so great it also knocked her backward. Confusion rushed through her mind. It was impossible for her indestructible bracetlets could have discharge Lightning.

Lightning was the weapon of The God of Sky. Of Zeus. Alone….. unless….

Unless he wished for his children to be able to use it occasionally….

But she was no child of Zeus. She was made of clay. She was sculpted by her mother's hands and breathed life into her by her patron and patronesses. Though Hades made a remark suggesting that he helped her mother sculpting her. She never believed it. But how could she discharged the lighting? Maybe it was just a coincident.

So she tried again.

Trying to stand up from hard ground. She lifted both arms crossing in front of her face and concentrated. And as the two gauntlets connected to each other the lightning bolt crashed from the dark could and struck the ground in front of her.

Impossible….

There's no way….there was no way in Tartarus she was a child of Zeus….

But before she could anymore reasons to go on, The bright flash of light that wasn't lightning run across the from the sky. Her eyes widen as the light hit her so hard. Knocking her backward once again. Everything after came as a slow motion as her body flew back and about to hit the ground.

Superman, who was flying down from the dark sky was about to touch the ground. His hand extend as if trying to reach for her. The crowds that was nearest and witnessed everything screamed. And then Batman, who laid there in bruises and blood, reaching his arm for her. And the world seem to stop. She couldn't hear anything else except his voice.

"Diana!"

He called for her. And that was the last thing she remembered before everything went black.

She gasped and turned to Superman.

"Kal….Bruce…?" Her throat still burn but she must know. So she suppressed the sensation and spoke. The Kryptonian looked at her with comforting eyes.

"Broken bones here and there but he will live" He said then stopped and looked at her again. Her eyes met with his and they seemed to be searching inside of her. And he finally spoke again. "But…..there's one thing You need to know…Diana...Yo…."

But she didn't hear what he was about to say after that. A flash of light hitting her vision out of nowhere again. She shut her eyes instinctively. But when she opened them she was no longer in a patient cloth anymore. Instead in her Wonder Woman attire. She was no longer in the medical bay at the Justice League Watchtower Satellite. Her eyes widen at the place she stood.

She was in the middle of large hall. Surrounded by Twelve gigantic thrones with different designs to adorn their owners. All the eyes were fixed at her. Then she notice another figure next to her right, In her regal attire of Amazon royalty, it was her mother. Kneeling down on the ground head bowed down. Suddenly the voice called out.

"Welcome to Olympus. Diana of Themyscira. Daughter of Zeus"

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* Eileithyia - Greek goddess of Childbirth.  
In case anyone want to know what Koukouvagia looked like. . .

So How do you like it? Let me know?


	3. 2 Ugly Truth

Disclaimers :: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

In short! I own nothing but the silly plots. And seriously do not make money from it. So please don't sue me!

A/N :: Still un Beta. So as you noticed, I stated last chapter that, this story based off with the JL/JLU animated series but! with a plot twisted! LOL It's fast update because I have it save up for few chapters.

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**Chapter 2 – Ugly Truth**

_If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor._  
**_- Albert Einstein_**

"Welcome to Olympus. Diana, Princess of Themyscira. Daughter of Zeus"

Diana startled at the statement someone had announced. In front of her the golden throne sat the Lord of sky. Beard covered most of his handsome face, his bright blue eyes resembled the familiar eyes of her own. His hair was dark. He looked fearful yet comforting as he casted his eyes down at her. She then realized she was in the present of not just the King of Olympus but the rest of the gods and goddess as well. She kneeled down showing her respect next to her mother.

"You dare bring the scorn and its mother to our home!" Diana didn't have to look up to see whose voice it was. She remembered it well. That was Hera the queen of Olympus. Zeus's wife. Her voice roared with rage, screaming out seemingly in all directions "She should be dead already if not for someone's nosy interfering!"

"Please, Hera. We brought her here for a reason" Athena said. After an approval nod from her father she continued "Rose, Hippolyta. Queen of Themyscira and Diana. Princess of Themyscira"

They both did at the same time. Diana glanced at her mother. Her face was pale. Her expression was mixed between perplexed and distraught. Seemingly she was here before her. She didn't look at her or any gods instead cast her eyes down to the floor. So Diana looked up.

"You must question your present here at the council of the gods…" Zeus started. His bright blue eyes locked on hers, Diana could feel the glaring from his queen who sat on her peacock feathers decorated throne from his left. Something wasn't right. Even though she never was in an audience with the queen of Olympus, she was sure she had never angered her once. So she could only prepare herself for what was coming next as she continue to keep eye contacts with God of the sky. "…..I believed that you just realized some of your new ability a few days ago…..I was partially responsible for that…."

"Have you blessed me with your gift, My Lord?" She asked though she knew the answered was far worse.

"You are my child, Diana"

She swore mentally she could hear the thunder roared at the statement. Her suspicious came true and by the look from her mother that she stole a glance from, the queen of Amazon already knew about this. Her face was as pale as paper. Diana blinked before return her gaze to her godly 'father' Meeting his eyes for she wasn't sure what she was feeling. Betrayed? Disappointed? Joy? Fear? She couldn't pin point any of them. Only overwhelming. Had she accept the truth? She still didn't know. But something had made its sense. Now she understood Hera's enrage glare from her throne.

"But you would not just bring me up here to tell me this truth, My Lord?" She kept her composure regal as she always did. Head still held high but not in arrogant way to show her respects. Just like a proud Champion should be.

"No, child. It is about your offspring" It was Aphrodite's voice that continued. The statement seem to made the throne room buzzed in a low whispering. Her mother who stood beside her finally turned to look at her.

"_My_ offspring? But I have no child" Diana knit her brows together.

"But you have laid with that mortal lover, have you not?" The goddess of beauty continued as if she was talking about the weather. Heat rose up to her face from her personal love life had just become Olympus's latest gossip. So she didn't answer the question. Not that she was ashamed of her actions that she defied her sisters' teachings about cruelties of men and gave her heart away to a mortal.

But the man she loved wasn't just a man. He was a warrior in his own rights. He protected and served justice just the same as any heroes she knew. Though his method was to be one with the night and operated stealthy. He did it selflessly time and time again. He wasn't the easiest man to understand but for her it came to so naturally and even being pushed away so many times, she never gave up on him just like he never gave up on his missions. One day a few months ago something had changed Batman's mind about their relationship. (though she would want to think there was one at all before that) And after years of unspeakable tensions between them. They were finally together.

She almost blushed as she saw the Goddess of Love's satisfied grin. Of course, She knew.

"….As Aphrodite was saying. This is about your child…" Athena cut in and brought everyone back to the topic.

"But I am not…." Diana started then stopped half way she lift her hand to touch her abdomen and blinked. "…it can not be…."

"She is a blessing from me" Aphrodite said again. Her beautiful face beamed with please. "As a gift for being our champion and never fail to serve us. But That was not all. Your child is to hold a key to a great destiny…."

"I do not understand…."

"Diana, I believe you have known about Titanomachy in your studies?" Zeus didn't wait for her response because the topic was mandatory in her standard study. The Ten years war between The Titans and The Olympians after Zeus had overthrown his cruel father Kronus. He continued "After Our Victories, The titans were cast down to the pit of Tartarus together with Kronus who was cut into pieces. They do not die Because of their immortalities. They could only be imprisoned and left to be rotten for eternity. But you also already knew that. I am sure."

He stopped making sure His demigod daughter was still listening.

"A hundred years after the war, The Oracle of Dodona had foretold a prophecy. It was about two of my female legacies. One who would release the cage of Kronus and another who would stop it from happening…..With fears of accusing me or my children, She didn't dare revealed it until Goddess Leto had foretold the same prophecy during our festival one day. And couple more times the same thing was fortold by Few Oracles of Delphi. It made us become even more wary of this repeated prophecy

"But years had passed, Many demigods of mine were born. Males mostly, Some became heroes. Some just led ordinary lives of mortals. We never had a true female champion until you, Diana of Themyscira….." He looked at her with that sky blue eyes again, pride shone within his gaze "…..As though your birth was unexpected but you had grown to become a magnificent hero that we had ever since Trojan War. You have done good deeds for us without hesitation. And your devotion to peace and justice is to be praised….."

He stopped again as if he wanted this statement to register for someone in the Thorne room. "…..Some of us did not know you could be one in the prophecy. But legacy of Zeus could mean that it might be my child or grandchild or great grandchild…..or… "

"What my Father meant to say is that, You have potential to be one of them. Either you might be the traitor or the savior" Athena cut in again and got them back to the point. She was probably the only goddess who could interrupt the King of Olympus without angering him. She was his favorite. Everyone knew that he preferred her even more than his own son, Ares, who sat on his throne with solemn expression on his face.

But Diana still looked more perplexed than ever as she continued "….But as we all know that you are anything but the first kind. You always served us well even when it comes to the matter causing by some of us, as our Champion, you always prevail…." Everyone heard a grunt coming from The god of War, But Athena ignored him and continued. "…..But as a result of the recent event as you, and us, discovered your real origin. Something happened and you were supposed to be _incinerated_…."

Both Amazon widen their eyes at the statement. And Diana understood completely of what The Queen of gods had said earlier.

_She should be dead already if not for someone's nosy interfering_

"Don't take it personally, child. The queen did that to almost every one of my father's children, mortals or not…" It was Apollo who spoke this time. His beardless face shone in kindness. His handsome face reminded her of Kal. Though they looked nothing alike but the expression and the air around them are very similar.

And she remembered that flash of light that blasted at her from the dark sky in Gotham before she blacked out. So that was Hera's doing….

"But I feel…fine. I feel normal" Said the Amazon princess.

"Do you?...have you feel any different since you woke up" Aphrodite said, beautiful face looked at her kindly. Diana stared into the thin air and think.

Different? She didn't feel any different at all when she woke up, except the pain that erupted throughout her body like a lava spilled out of Volcano. The pain was hot as fire and pained her when she only moved slightly. Her throat burned and her mouth tasted like ash. But now as she stood there she didn't feel any pain.

"I did. But I always heal fast. And I feel fine now. I do not feel any pain on my body…." She answered the goddess.

"You should be nothing but dusk!" The Queen of Olympus's voice was harsh and full of anger.

"Hera…Please….It was not her fault she turned out to be one of the thing you despite the most. Admit it that you also favor her. She has been serving us far greater than any heroes have done" Aphrodite said, her tone clearly showed that she was annoyed. "You are just being spiteful. These wraths of yours for Zeus's demigods are far too old. And too boring. You should take up a new hobby, maybe knitting…"

"How dare you!" Hera's voice roared with rage. Sprang out from her throne. But The goddess of Love only rolled her eyes at this reaction.

"ENOUGH!"

It was Zeus who shouted this time. The thunders roared behind as background music. His voiced echoed the whole hall as his wife sat back down reluctantly. No one said anything after that. The King of sky rubbed the bridge of his nose as he continued. "Please, I know this is my doing that cause it but what's done is done. We are not here to discuss about the reason of Diana's birth. But her involvement as our Champion…. Can we finally get back to the topic without any interruption?"

He directed last statement to his enrage wife. She still burning holes to the floor but said nothing back. He continued "Well, then….Aphrodite, please continue."

The Goddess smiled smugly as she gave a glance to the queen before spoke again "….As I was saying, _I_ was able to interrupted the curse blast just in time. But It wasn't enough. The curse still is partially there and we all know the only way to undo it is for the person to blasted it to take it back, which probably not happening anytime soon. So my interfering was only slow down the process. And because she/he is of my blessing, it would be long enough for you to bear your child. And maybe if we are lucky…a few more years after that. But the curse will come"

"So I will be dead?" Diana tried not to swallowed her own words.

"….Not exactly" The goddess said. Looking down at Diana's confusion she started talking again "….You will be….frozen or sleeping which over words you prefer, until your love ones break the curse. Your life force shall be restore"

"My love ones? Do you mean my lover?"

"Child…. There are people who you loved and loved you but not your lover" Aphrodite smiled kindly at her as if to sooth her throbbing pain in her head from all the suddenness "…. And this one is tricky. Because it wasn't the love they have for you that will break the curse. Do not worry, when the time comes, I will make sure they are set in the right path. But when or will they reach the conclusion. It is up to them. All you can do is have faith in the ones you love"

"Your child have a difficult road awaits for her in the future. She must endure many pains and suffering heartbreaks along the path" Apollo said. "….she will have to choose to become one of the prophecy or to be one who break your curse. Nobody, even us could make her those choices for her. Like, you chose to become Wonder Woman. No one but the goodness of your heart made that choice for you, Do you understand this, Diana?"

She wanted to but right now she just couldn't. So she could only stare into thin air looking for an answered that didn't come. Instead other questions popped in her head instead.

But how could she break this news to Bruce? How could tell him that their child's future was grim and dangerous? How would Bruce react to this news of her being with his child at all? How could you tell him any of these?

"You are forbid to tell your mortal about this…." Aphrodite said reluctantly as if she read her mind.

"But he is my child's father! He has the right to know"

"It is part of the curse, dear. No one but your child is allowed to reveal this truth to him, that meaning if she wanted to do it at all…."

"But how am I supposed to raise my child when I do not know when the curse will take its effect?" Something is burning behind her eyes, she was sure it was her own tears. But she held it in, trying not to shed it in front of all the gods.

"We will…." For the first time the voice came from the person standing next to her. Diana turned to her mother. The Amazon queen wore nothing but determined expression on her face. Her eyes flickered like blue flame. Her hand reached out and touched Diana's shoulder. It was warm, it felt like forgiveness and home "…My little sun and stars, you always have a home in Themyscira as well as your child. We shall teach her the warrior ways of our Amazon sisters. I…..should not let _circumstance_ wavered my love for you as you are my only flesh and blood. Diana…. Please, come home"

Her tone was almost pleading. Holding tears behind her eyes seem to brim over. She open her lips to speak, looking at her mother. She didn't know if it was her mother's support or the fact that she seem to forgive her for whatever she did.

"The choice is yours, Diana of Themyscira….When you waked again, you must decide your fate. You can stay and have your child there among mortals or you can go home and let your child be trained as an amazon" Aphrodite said with more serious voice "The powers that bestowed on you by us, were one that had been protect your child for sometimes from your injuries. As it grows, your powers are slowly reduce. So think carefully, Demigods are very dangerous in outside world without mystical powers to protect them, Monsters roam the world more than before now that the gates in Tartarus are weakening. They will hunt and devour them for their powers"

Athena's gray eyes were on her now "Choose wisely for your child, and for us all, Diana.….."

Then when she blinked, suddenly the warm of her mother's hand was gone. She was back on the bed in medical bay of the Watchtower, sitting up on the bed in her patient gown. So as the pain she felt earlier when she woke. Kal was sitting by her bed, his expression was baffle as his eyes search hers. They were so blue like the water on Themyscira shore, made she felt like she was drowning.

Kal was still talking. His voice was warm, but why did she felt as if she was standing in the snow when he said it.

"But…..there's one thing you need to know….Diana….You're pregnant…."

* * *

I must admit, I love writing Aphrodite! LOL She be sassy!

This plot actually born from me reading The new 52:WW comics. The plot was pretty ok but the arts ugh I am sorry i want to pull my hair! DX Can't stand the arts...Diana looked like the hulk. Too masculine for my taste.

So how do guys like it so far? let me know?


	4. 3 There's no 'good' in Goodbye

Disclaimers :: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

In short! I own nothing but the silly plots. And seriously do not make money from it. So please don't sue me!

* * *

**Chapter 3 – There's no 'good' in Goodbye**

_To die and part is a less evil; but to part and live, there, there is the torment. _  
**- George Lansdowne**

"But…..there's one thing you need to know….Diana….You're pregnant…."

But she already knew that. Still, his voice seemed to resonate in her head.

Her eyes met again with his. Her lips shook and all the tears that she was holding earlier broke like an overflowing dam. It spilled down her beautiful face. She could hear her own voice also shook

"..Kal….I…I knew…just now…"

"..Diana…." He move to sit on the edge of her bed and pulled her into a tight embrace. Let her tears soaked down to his shoulder. Her body shook as she sobbed. He never seen her like this. She was always a warrior, stronger and bolder and braver than anyone he knew. He tightened his arms around her, moved his hand up to pat the back of her head as if to sooth her "…. J'onn said you are only 6 weeks long….And I barely hear the heartbeats before until today"

"Kal….I…..I need…" She stammered, she never stammered before in her long life. Diana pushed herself out of his hug "….I need to see Bruce"

His face was stunned at her words. He knitted his brow together "…is he….the father?"

"Kal, please….I need to see him" Denying it or not she knew he would put things together eventually so she didn't answer him back at all.

"He's still unconscious. In the next room" He said. Still looking straight back at her "Diana, is he the father?"

She didn't want to say yes. Even though she knew it was the truth. So she could only let the sob took over and buried her face in her hands. Man of steel looked dumbfound for good five minutes before pulled her into his embrace again. He didn't know what to do when a girl cry, especially one who was supposed to be the most powerful woman on the planet.

"Ok, you don't have to answers that, Alright?…..it's ok, Diana" He tried to sooth her with his hand on her back. But only the sobbing sound came from her. "Diana…..you will be ok, alright? You will be fine…"

"No! I won't! You don't know anything!" her voice was harsh, she screamed as she pushed herself out of his arms. Tears stilled down her perfect cheekbone, her eyes were red. She almost spat at Superman's confused face. But realized that he had no idea what was going on. She could only look away as she apologized

"…..Kal. I'm….I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…."

"It's ok, Diana…..please tell me so I can understand….I want to help" He reached his hands out to grabbed both of her shaken shoulders. His voice was warm and supportive "…Diana, you are my best friend. You can tell me anything, alright?..." She nodded. "….now tell me, What's wrong? Is it Bruce that's the problem? Is it because, doesn't he want….err…kids?"

"He doesn't?..." Her eyes went wider, teardrop almost fell on her cheeks again.

"No! I mean….I don't know…..I was just assuming…" it wasn't usual for a journalist like him to struggle finding the right words, and he didn't really know what to say after seeing horror in her expression. He knitted his brows together.

He pursed his lips. "…..I'm sorry that come out wrong. Let's me start over. Diana, you know about his 'issues', right? Is that why you were upset that you are with his child?"

But she wasn't upset. She was afraid. Afraid and fear for her child. She was a warrior herself, she had no problem running straight to battlefield and tackling enemies. But this child, whose fate awaited, was different. It was the unknown that was waiting for him or her. The danger of being in this world was unavoidable. Was this how her mother feeling when she'd left Themyscira?

She lifted her hand up to wipe her remaining tears away. Silence filled the room as her friend stayed quiet and waited for her to answer. But how could she answer something she could not possibly have the answers for? So she could only took a deep breath, closed her eyes before exhaled.

She must decide. She knew what fate awaited for her. She knew the only thing she could do was to have faith in the ones she loved. She must. As it was the only way to continue.

Her hand moved to touch her abdomen. She looked back at her friend again, her blue eyes shone like the heart of Hestia. Tears would not help her. She must not cry like a little girl. She was an Amazon, the champion of the god. And she would face her destiny as one.

She had decided.

"Kal, I need your help. Please contact J'onn and meet me back in this room in twenty minutes. I will explain later"

She saw her best friend nodded reluctantly and left the room before she dropped her legs down from the bed. Grabbed the slipper from under the bed and slipped them on. For now she had to do something or rather see someone…. She walked out of her section to the room next to her.

* * *

She looked at his broken form, bruised , bandaged, casted. The reminder of how he was just a mere mortal. It would take him weeks to heal all the injuries. She had seen him injured for so many times as she almost stopped counting. Laying there unconscious. With the way he fought alongside them she could almost forgot that he had no special powers, he was only a man. A mortal man with an extraordinary heart. He selflessly fought the war by himself to protect his rotten city that no one cared. And anyone knew when this battle would ever end. He still stood and protected it with all his being. That was one of the reasons she fell in love with him.

And she knew that if she stayed, it would complicate his mission. She had vowed to herself the day he had opened himself to her, that she would not be the reason of leading him astray from his city. This child would change him. Though she would only hope it would be in a positive way when the times came.

She stood over him. Didn't move an inch until mentally clock in her head ticked and her time was up. She closed her eyes. Bend down and kiss his unmoving lips for the last time. She held her tears that forming behind her eyes again. She wouldn't cry anymore. She had decided to do what was right. She must protect their child, the only evident of their short union. Even if he would hate her for it, she must.

* * *

Kal and J'onn were waiting in her room when she got back. She took a deep breath before started.

"First of all, I cannot tell you all the details of what's about to happen…." Diana said, looking at both of her friends and colleagues. "…..I take it as you are the only people who knew of my pregnancy?"

After they both nodded, she continued. "Good, please do not tell anyone about this. It is the matter of life and death….."

"Even him….?"

"Especially him, Kal" she took a deep breath before exhaled again. "The moment after I woke, I was spirited away to Olympus, I had an audience with the gods…..something is happening to me, something bad. And I could not prevent it from happening….And my child will be in danger if I were to be gone…"

"Diana! Don't say that, you are nearly invulnerable, you can't just….die!" Kal's voice was high. She knew he was surprise at her words, she held her hand up to make him stop saying anymore.

"Kal, I am only immortal when I am on Paradise Island. Outside world, I aged though very slowly but I do age. And I get hurt. And I could die" She continued "…..There's war coming. I don't know when it will start, against the ancient, oldest enemy of the gods. People will die….And I do not know if the league would be able to stop it all from happening…." She casted her eyes down "….there's the prophecy, that someone would be able to end it…."

"And that person is you?"

She shook her head "…No. We do not know. But it _might_ be my child. So before that the enemies would hunt him or her down and kill my child before he or she had a chance to grow up, I must protect my child.…."

"So it might _not_ be your kid at all? Is that what you are saying?"

"I would hope that the fates would be kinder and do not don my child with such responsibility…." She really did. "….the thing is, I need to leave the Man's world….it is the only way to protect him or her…"

"What do you mean by leaving?" Kal's tone wasn't please when he said it.

"…meaning I am going back to Themyscira" She said, trying to force a smile on her face when she saw Kal's disapproval gaze "….Kal, Paradise Island is protected by the gods. As long as my child stayed there, he or she would be protected until coming of age…."

"And after that?..."

"It is up to him or her to choose. But until then, You must not reveal this to anyone…." Her tone was pleading. Man of steel look at her with reluctant eyes.

"I understand…." The Martian was the first to reply, he spoke for the first time. Diana knew that he probably already read her thoughts. For the first time she didn't mind his intrusion at all.

"Thank you" She said. Before turning to her best friend.

"Kal, please believe in my decision. This is for the best"

"Diana, he has right to know. He is the father…."

As if she didn't know that already. She thought but didn't say it. Instead she gave him a small smile "He will. Someday, Kal…..he will. But not now, not from me and not from you….I have my reason so please….believe in me"

And he did. Because that was the only way he could accept her departure.

* * *

She was gone. Diana was gone before he woke. Nobody said anything to him until J'onn had released him from Medical Bay. Even Superman, someone who, he couldn't believe letting her go.

"Bruce, I am sorry. It was not my place to stop her" The Kryptonian said, solemn look on his face. "But she said it was important and she must leave"

He didn't say anything back. He just didn't know what he could possibly say.

"She left this for you" He handed him a white envelope. "And please know, it was hard for her too…"

He didn't know how long after Clark had left or that he stood there, frozen to the spot, Staring at an un-open letter. And for first time his mind was blank, there was no plan to back him up. There was nothing for him to do.

Finally, he opened the letter. He recognized her neat handwriting. The content was clear and short.

_Dear, Bruce._

_Forgive me, Bruce. For not be able to say goodbye. I hope you did not take this the wrong way, It is necessary that leave and journey back to my home. I have a new duty to serve. And I could not do it by being here, in Man's world. If the fates were kind, we will meet again. Until then please take care of yourself. Alfred is old and he would not be around to forever patch you up._

_Please remember that you will always be in my heart. I wish you all the happiness, Bruce. Because you of all people, deserve it. Even it wasn't with me. _

_Always,_  
_Diana_

There still was no reason of her leaving. But to him it didn't matter.

She was gone.

She left him, just like the rest of them. Leaving him alone to fight this endless battle.

Maybe it was a good thing. He told himself. He'd been trying to push her away and here he was. At end of the conclusion of what he had wanted.

_It is a good thing._ He thought. _No more distractions, no more obstacles. _

_No more Diana._

As he crumbled the letter in his hand, tossing it in to the nearest garbage can. He pretended he didn't hear his own heart breaking.

* * *

Whaaaa! it was a hard chapter to write! Sorry if anyone seem to be OOC, Especially Batman. I kinda cheated lol since he got the shortest scene here.

To Guest's comment from last chapter, since I can't reply to you. So I'm taking liberty of doing it here before to go further - First of all thank you for the review. And Yes, It will have BMWW, since it is the base element but this story will focus on their daughter most of the time. But yes it will have BMWW, And I am a sappy person so I wouldn't pass the chance to write it for sure!

Next chapter, we will meet Bruce and Diana's kid! For now if you don't mind, tell me what do you think of this chapter, I'd love to hear from readers!


	5. 4 Growing Pains

Disclaimers :: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N ::Still not Beta. Sorry with some mistakes.

I stuck with this chapter for a while since I was changing the name of Bruce and Diana's daughter back and forth LOL In the end decided to get some help from people from BMWW forums! So many pretty and great names! I will talk about the name later at the end. So for now, Thank you** Kipling Bunny** for the name of our main heroine!

And I got some PM asking me about "Hey Why batman didn't go after Diana?" well, I can't tell you the reason, YET. It will be explained in the future chapters :D

This chapter is now set in the present. The first 3 chapters were actually set about 17 years earlier. and this one contains a lot of flashbacks. Very slow with the actions but for people to understand things I gotta post it.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Growing Pains**

_Life didn't promise to be wonderful.  
_**- Teddy Pendergrass**

Dawn was quiet as the sun rose above shore and ocean beyond Themyscira. Lysandra stood on one of the highest ground of Paradise Island. The horizon lit up like fire rose from deep blue water. She had been there since before sky turned from darkest black to shade of pink. She inhaled the air and let the light bathed her skin, closing her eyes and let morning breeze washed her face. Listened to soft sound of waves smashing into rocks and cliff down below as if it was a music that would sooth her mind.

It was unusual for her to be up this early. She was never a morning person. She liked to sleep in if her teachers ever let her, which occasionally happened. But today was different. The dream woke her up before dawn even broke. Something kept her awake after that, those unsettle feelings from the dream she could not remember. So she decided to get up and take a walk to her favorite place. Before starting her day.

The cliff was isolated from the rest of Paradise Island. The ground was high and when she stood she felt as if she had left Themyscira behind while facing the ocean. She stood with both of her feet hung over the ledge of the cliff, arms spread as she breathed in salty air, toes curled inside her sandals from the thrill of height. The wind always blew, caressing her skin as if to comfort her from whatever she had been trough. It was quiet and she didn't have to listen to any of them calling her names. Nobody'd called her Princess.

In this place, she was just Lysandra.

Though she was, A princess of The Amazons by her birthright. She was born to First princess of the Amazon, Diana of Themyscira. Queen Hippolyta was grandmother.

But it was only half of her. The other half was from a mortal man that her mother fell in love with. She told Lysandra about their meeting. How they came to knew each other, how they fought alongside like comrade in arms to save the world. How they fell in love. How she had come to the world and how she end up here. But her mother would always end up looking like the gate of Tartarus had opened when she came around to the story of the man she loved, Her father.

She told Lysandra about him, showing him the old picture she kept. In The picture, a group of seven in colorful costumes. Five men and two women. Lysandra remembered how she first thought the handsome man in red and blue was her father, from what her mother told her. He was a warrior with caring heart. He worked nights and days to protect his city from corruptions and evil doers. She was surprised when her mother pointed out to the picture at the man in dark costume and black mask who didn't look happy being in the picture, was in fact her father.

"His name is the Batman" She remembered her mother told her one night when they laid in bed, as she stroking her head.

"Batman?" her younger self confused at her mother's word.

"well, he has other name too, my little stars. His real name…"

"But why must he has two name, mother?"

"Because sometimes in Man's world, identity could be dangerous, my dear stars. And when you are to fight in darkness, one must conceal oneself to protect those they care about…"

"I still do not understand…"

"You will, someday"

Lysandra loved her mother more than anything. She was the most beautiful woman on the island. And even though she never left this place ever since she could remember and the fact that there were more than couple thousands of beautiful women here, Her mother was still the fairest of them all. She was told that her mother, the first princess of the Amazon was gifted by Goddess of Beauty herself. No one on any land could compare to her. And though she didn't have to leave this place she just knew that it was true.

But it wasn't just her beauty that made her beautiful. It was her gentle and caring heart, even it was only few years that they had together. Lysandra never doubt her love. And her teaching was still resonating in her mind everytime she met difficult moments while she was growing up.

It was her words telling her to be brave in the time of frightfulness, telling her to be wise in time of troubles, telling her to be independent and to think for herself.

It was her voice in Lysandra's memories, telling her not to give up, to hope, to believe in herself.

She was once a mighty hero. Man's world called her Wonder Woman. Lysandra believed she was greater than Perseus or Jason or Heracles. She saved the world more than once. She was powerful with super strength and fast as lightning with super speed. She could fly freely in the sky. Oh how she envied that ability to travel in air without assistant. Even Perseus needed a Pegasus. But those time were gone, her powers were gone because she decided to have a child, to have her.

And many of her sisters blamed Lysandra for the loss of their champion. Including the Queen herself.

As far as she could remember, Lysandra was always surrounded by her Amazon sisters. Whenever her mother was around they would be nice and kind to her. But as soon as she turned her back and walked out of the earshot. They would always give her cold stares. Calling her the bastard child.

Let's say it happened often enough that a very young Lysandra went and asked her mother what 'Bastard child' meant.

That when the fight between her mother and the queen broke out.

She was only five years old, standing in the hallway of the queen's private quarter. Listened to her mother quarreled with the Queen.

"You knew all this time, mother? You knew what they have called my child and you did nothing?!" Her mother's voice was rough with anger. She never heard her so angry before. She was always a gentle soul to her.

"Please, my little sun and stars….." The queen's voice was almost pleading. But Lysandra wouldn't know.

"….How could you mother? I thought that you'd loved her like you did me…..I thought that when you offered me, us…the sanctuary, you would forgive and love my child, you own flesh and blood!…"

There was a pulse. Then the queen spoke again. Her voice was hard "….I do love you Diana. You are my child. I know that I shouldn't blame you for anything that wasn't your fault…."

She could hear her mother's sob. She was crying. She'd never seen her cry either. Her feet reacted by stepping closer to the half closed door. But the voice came and stopped her before she reached the chamber.

"You are not allowed in there, princess."

Lysandra turned. It was Artemis, one of the queen's Royal guards. She had been there the whole time in that empty hallway with Lysandra, stood guard, not letting anyone into the inner chamber as the queen and the princess had their private conversation.

"But mother is crying, she never cried!"

"An order is an order, princess" Artemis casted her piecing green eyes down to her. She was tall, maybe taller than her mother. Her fiery red hair was pulled up in a ponytail. Lysandra always scared of Artemis. Though surprisingly she was one of a few amazons who never called her names but Artemis was different from the rest of them. She frightened Lysandra with just her cold green eyes.

Artemis was strong. Some said she was almost as strong as her mother or the queen herself. And with Bow and arrows armed, she was at her deadliest form. Silently and stealthy, she would execute the games with clear shots every time. She was the best huntress of the Amazons could ever have as if it was for her name's sake that she was given after the Goddess of the hunt. She was also one of the best fighters as she hold champion for many years during the annual competitions that would take place in summer, at the amphitheater.

But none of it seemed to be stopping Lysandra that day, she could feel the anger rose inside her younger self. And she glared back at the taller amazon.

"But, mother is crying!"

"Can't follow orders? This must be from your mortal side…." She sneered at her. Eyes casted down on the princess's smaller form.

She could hear something inside her snapped. Before Artemis had a chance to continue or before Lysandra herself knew what she was thinking. Five years old Lysandra leapt from the marble floor and swung her small hand and scratched the taller Amazon's face. Her fingernails dug into Artemis's olive color skin, leaving the red marks on her. She hissed and suddenly grabbed the back of Lysandra' short chiton and pulled her away.

"You little…!"

"Artemis!" Another voice called out and made the red hair Amazon halted from saying or doing anything further. Another familiar face rushed in through the hall way.

It was Selia, another Royal guard of the queen. Her light brown hair was braided and tugged into a bun behind her head. Her dark blue eyes widen as she saw both of them. "Artemis, put the Princess down!"

Artemis clicked her tongue annoyingly before tossed Lysandra on the floor, dropping like a sack of potatoes on hard marble. She yelped and glared back at the Red hair Amazon.

"Are you alright, Princess?" Selia asked. Her blue eyes showered with concerns as she helped Lysandra back on her feet.

"Yes….But mother is crying and I want to go in there!" She replied. "But Artemis won't let me!"

The red hair amazon touched her bleeding face as she narrowed her blue eyes at her. Apparently, Lysandra's nails had digged into her skin, leaving three long marks across Artemis's face. It'd scared for sure and Lysandra was pleased at her handiwork.

Yes, Artemis might be the scariest person on Paradise Island. But no, her five years old self didn't stop from feeling like she just won a small challenge. Those scratches on Artemis's face would brand her and remind her of her very first disobedience. And she loved it.

"Princess…..you do know that Artemis was just following the order?" Selia's voice was warm, almost similar to her mother's but higher. She leveled herself down to Lysandra, so they were eye to eye. Selia was one of a few people she liked. She was kind and always seemed to know what to say to make Lysandra felt better about things.

She remembered unwillingly nodding her head. Selia smiled and placed her hands on her smaller shoulder. "….How about we go get some strawberries?"

Lysandra remembered her blue eyes lit up instantly after hearing the words. Yes, strawberry was best thing on Themyscira for her five years old self. That was of course before she was introduced to all the sharp objects in the Armory. In southern part of Paradise Island, The amazon grew a medium size garden just for strawberries, They had grown other fruits of course, but nothing would be compared to the divined taste of those ripped and juicy red fruit.

Beside her mother's cries, that day she'd remembered the tasted of Strawberries and Defiance. She knew from that moment on, both would become very addicting.

* * *

Lysandra stepped back from the ledge, pebbles cracked under her sandals and fell down from the edge of the cliff as she did. Sky was bright now. The shade turned from pink to orange. And the blue in the sky was showing. Meaning the rest of Themyscira would be up and about soon. She could already see smokes came out from kitchen building and Amazonian homes around the Island.

Meaning time for her peaceful isolation was up. And She should make another visit to her other favorite place soon if she wanted to be on time for morning session with Artemis. The place was the temple of Truth, to see her mother.

When Lysandra was six, she learned the meaning of torment, of agony and of pain from losing the one she loved.

As much of a child could understand love, she knew she could not be without her mother. Or even she was too young to understand sorrow, she knew pain. She knew what it felt like when the sharp object cut through her flesh, Or when she felt her bone cracked as she broke her arm, Or the feeling of being whipped, hit, smacked and any other things but those could not be compared to the feeling of losing her mother. It was so much worse. That day it was the feeling of her whole being shattered into pieces. She didn't know how to put herself back together. She didn't even sure if she ever could.

She never forgot that last evening together, when her mother's arms was tight around her body. And how her silent tears dropped on her shoulder blade. Those last word before the guards took her away.

"Lysandra….you must stay strong, do not do it for me but for yourself, my dear stars…" She heard her mother said. "Remember, that I love you. Always….."

At first, Lysandra didn't know what was going on. That day, it started just like the rest of her ordinary day. They woke, had breakfast, her mother brought her to the training field with wooden swords. She watched her train with the dummy made from old sack and stuffed with grains until late noon. They had lunch and train some more at shooting range where they watch Artemis demonstrated her skill at archery.

It was when Lysandra came out from the bath. She saw her mother dressed in fully Amazonian armors, holding helmet in her arm. The queen and her guards stood nearby, including Artemis and Selia, she didn't spare a look at Lysandra. Her mother turned to a very confused daughter and hugged her so tight the metal started to dig into her skin.

"….Mother, are you going somewhere?" Young princess asked.

"….Yes, my love. Do you remember that story I told you about the cursed Princess?" Her mother kneeled down on one knee in front of her. Hands grabbing her small shoulders.

Lysandra nodded. It was one of her favorite bed time stories beside The adventures of Perseus, her favorite hero. It was a story about a brave princess who ran away to help on the battlefield. Through hardships and many battles, she met another soldier, the handsome knight and they fell in love. But fates were cruel and she was cursed to be turn into stone. Without knowing when it would happen, she left her lover and travel back to her city with an unborn child. And wait for her knight to come and break the curse.

But her mother never finished telling that story. So she never knew the ending.

"Lysandra. I am that princess, There's a place I must stay await. For you and your father, For my Knights to rescues me, to break the curse…" She smiled through tears. She was so beautiful, sad but beautiful.

"But, I am here, mother….I am already here" She didn't understand any of her words. But she knew something was going to happen, something that would break her little heart. "Tell me what to do! Tell me how to break the curse! You don't need Father, I shall do it myself!"

"It's time, Diana…." The queen said. Her voice was hard. And that look in her eyes was indescribable.

"You must wait till the time to come. You will know when it would be, And while you wait, Be strong and be wise, my dear stars. Remember who you are and believe in yourself…." She kissed her forehead, her lips were trembling and dwelled on her skin before finally broke away from Lysandra. Her head held high, standing tall, determined and brave as if she was to march into battlefield like the warrior that she was and she always had been.

She'd been taught before, how to accept separation and death. She was only six but as she was an amazon born, it was one of many first things her mother had taught about.

Although She was just a child. But she wasn't stupid. She knew this might be the last time to see her mother, to be with her.

"….Mother, please don't go…"

She cried and ran to her mother's side. Grabbing her armored wrist with those small hands. Pulling her backward from walking away.

"….Please, don't go…"

Tears rained down her cheek. Her vision started to blur from them. But she knew her mother was crying too. Her voice broke, it didn't sound like her own anymore, her throat was hot as if those sobs had burn her while she spoke.

She was still beautiful, even with her eyes full of tears. The corner of her lips still curved upward bow-like, giving her one last smile.

"….Please….don't…."

But she was gone. Lysandra didn't remember exactly how she looked because her eyes were burning from all the tears. She watched as her mother go, together with the queen and her guards, to the place where she would be turned into a piece of rock , a statue.

She would look just like that day, forever frozen as a stone.

* * *

By the time she reached the temple, the sun was already too bright. Her Amazons sisters were out and about, the guards that changing shifts, people who worked in farms or gardens was ready for their days, smoke came out from almost every houses as she ran passed, to the Village of temples.

They'd called that area The Village of temples because all of buildings were built to dedicate to the gods and goddess. The big one that sat higher than the rest, shrined five tall statutes of five goddesses - Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Hestia, and Aphrodite for they, who brought the Amazon to life. Protected them with divined powers, shielding them from chaotic world of men. Blessing them with Strength, Beauty, wisdom and love.

There were also smaller temples, such as Apollo's, where the Oracle and healers are mostly stayed. Lysandra had been there many times because of her injuries. The temple of Apollo also served as medical wing of Paradise Island. But because the amazons had higher endurances to any kind flu or sickness, they barely went there for if they were sick. For injuries from Training, competitions or the other unexpected, most Amazons were educated of how to nurse wounds, so only very serious ones they would go to the temple for the healers to look at.

She remembered the first time she went to Apollo temple, she was five, the wood pierced through her left foot from running on the field bare feet. She remembered her mother's hand squeezing hers, telling her it would be alright. She remembered when the healers and Selia held her down as one of the healer pulled that chunk of wood out of her flesh. She remembered screaming and crying. Blood spilled all over the table, leaving the gaping hole on her left foot. She remembered the bitter Medicine taste after the bandaged and how she felt asleep right after that. She was in Medical wing for the next seven days.

The second time, she was seven. When she started training with real sword. She remembered how the blade cut into her right forearm flesh. How it bleed slowly at first and she still kept going, she didn't stop at the next cut on her left arm or the next cut that was on her right thigh or the next one that was on her left cheek. She though had come to stop when Artemis cut her right hand that made she drop the sword. That when she was carried to Medical wing. She stayed there for 3 days. For some reasons her wounds were healed so fast, with bruises and shallow cuts she, she'd stopped visiting the place for those. Deciding it must came from her mother's ability to heal fast and never scared. She always thankful for that. Because only the gods knew, for the next ten years if she didn't have those she would look like a veteran after wars.

Lysandra skipped passed Temple of Zeus and Hera, nothing much there, since they only built it in their honors. Only hearts for the offering that lit with fire, someone would always come in to check if the fire needed to be stoked.

She finally reached the farthest temple. It was actually a size of a small house. Newest marble shone from recent construction. It was built just before her mother was gone, This was her place now. The temple of Truth.

She hated the name of it but that what the Amazons had called the place. Her mother was known as the embodiment of many things but one thing she was famous for was her truthfulness. She never lied. And always use the truth as her weapon. But what the truth had got her? Here in the temple as a stupid statue.

There were no guards or even any priestess to attend the temple. Though a few amazons took liberty of cleaning and stoking fire whenever they saw fit. Lysandra did that from time to time. She knew the Queen visit here several times during these passed years and she would avoid being alone with her in that temple where she should not lie. She was afraid she would tell her how she actually felt.

Her mother was dressed in full Amazonian armors, Holding a javelin in her left and the famous lasso in her right. It shone in golden gleam, the only thing of her mother that didn't turn into stone. She smiled but her eyes were blue no more, only left with dull gray just like the rest of her.

The candles by the statue were lit before she was here, so as the fire in front of it. Someone was here but she saw nobody around, whoever it was probably left before she got here. She didn't pay much attention because the amazons came here from time to time to find the truth in themselves. They would sometimes meditate here for hours looking for answers they sought.

For Lysandra, she came here to see her mother. She tried to come as often as her busy studies would allow. Sometimes she would come and talked to her or rather told her things as if she could hear her. And let her warm smile sooth her when the time was tough. Sometimes she just came to stand there, silently in front of her mother. As if to gather strength in herself then left. Sometimes she came to cry, as it would be the only place she would let herself.

Today was no different, she didn't have anything to say but she needed to see her mother before her day would begin. So she spent another half hour staring at the stone in mute. When she finally broke the eye contact. She didn't smile.

"Mother, give me strength"

She prayed to her. She didn't pray to the other gods or even five goddesses that protected Themyscira. She used to but not anymore. She did not believe in them for years. Because when she did and prayed and screamed for them to save her mother. They didn't. They did nothing. They gave nothing but false hope to her. So she prayed to them no more.

For years, to her there was only one goddess, her name was Diana, The goddess of Truth. She was Wonder Woman. She was her mother. She was the only hope who ever gave her true strength.

* * *

"You are late, Princess!" Artemis's voice was loud as usual. She didn't look happy when Lysandra arrive at her training ground. The red hair Amazon clicked her heel repeatedly as she waited for the young princess to come around. Her piercing green orbs eyed her dangerously "This is getting more frequent. I would start to think you did it on purpose…."

There were only about a dozen of others here to attend her practice. Three kinds of people in this training ground. One, people who actually wanted to be train with Artemis, in this place it was only Lysandra. Two, people who want to take pleasure in beating the hell out of Lysandra without being punished. That was the majority here. Then the last kind was spectators. Or people who enjoy seeing Lysandra got beaten up.

She looked around and saw few new faces on the side of the field. Their eyes looked at her with pure hatred. Well, that was why they were all here. They all want to get a taste of her, to cut her, to kick her, to punch her, to shoot her. To make her paid for being a reason of their champion lost, for her crime of being a spawn of mortal.

"Keep thinking Artemis, maybe you would be right" Lysandra replied playfully as she tied her long black hair up to a ponytail. She let it swung around, testing if the tie were secured strong enough before turn to her trainer who didn't look happy waiting for her at all. Lysandra saw those fainted red marks on Artemis's face. It always reminded her of the very first time she was being brave. Maybe little stupid. But now she had learned so much. She could be brave without being stupid.

"Do not push your luck, Princess….I did not agree to train you so you could be entertained. We shall start with a duel today, then later we will do group fight" Artemis scowled and walked over to the weapons racks. She stood there for a few minute, she reached for a battle axe but stopped half way and picked up two hunting knifes instead before she turned around. "….And stop with eyes rolling I can hear they moved in your sockets from here"

"Who knows you were blessed with such gift? What's next?...Breathing under water?"

"Sarcasms would only get you so far, Princess. Now...Take your pick before we start"

Lysandra didn't take long to decided. She walked straight to her favorite pair of narrow blade daggers. She was like Artemis, always picked preferred weapon when she could though she could be using anything, even not using it at all. Artemis was an excellence fighter, as well as teacher.

Swinging the daggers and tested them in her hands. Before she walked over to join Artemis who was ready for her in the center.

"Come on, Princess. I do not have all day…" Her voice was annoyed. But Lysandra knew she would rather be here instead of the council room, listening to politic talk all days.

They stood in front of each other, raised their weapons. She saw Artemis's green eyes lit like fire. Lysandra knew how much Artemis enjoyed herself by doing this and she always waited for her to make a first move. Making Lysandra always was the offensive one. Not that care much since after this, the group fight would made her on defensive mode whether she liked it or not.

Thinking that Lysandra leapt on her teacher, with daggers in both hands. And when her sharp metals connected with Artemis's, sending cranking sound. She knew all the eyes were on them. But she didn't care, right now it was only herself and Artemis, the rest of them can wait for their turns.

* * *

**Postscript;**

Pfft! Please don't kill me for ending Chapter here. It's getting too long, so I kinda have to cut most of the flashback in two parts(but not really…oh never mind, now I'm just confused people!) lol

So I was gonna talk about the name, I actually was using "Alexandra" while I was drafting the story but seem to me that the name was use for Bruce and Diana a lot in fanfictions already, Well hey it's a pretty name! :D

So with help from BMWW forums people, They'd suggested quite numbers of names for me to consider. But in the end I went with "Lysandra" (meaning - Liberator), because it is actually another form for "Alexandra" though a little different with meaning but hey, it works best. Have to say so much thank you for everyone who help with her name. I seriously being stuck for 3 weeks because of it XD

Next chapter will be post around next Monday, hopefully! All the reviews are love XD


	6. 5 Ascend

Disclaimers :: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N :: Still un-beta. D;

This chapter still contains a lot of Flashbacks. But next one will be less flashback and should be moving in faster pace. And whoa longest Chapter I've written so far!

* * *

**Chapter 5 :: Ascend **

_Out of life's school of war: What does not destroy me, makes me stronger.  
__**- **_**Friedrich Nietzsche, The Twilight of the Idols**

After Her mother was gone. Lysandra locked herself inside her quarter for days. Crying, sobbing, tearing apart her room. She was angry at everything and everyone. She was lost, confused and enrage.

She was looking for a reason for her mother's parting. She was looking for someone to blame. And she found herself.

It was her. She was the problem. She remembered the story her mother told. It was because her mother wanted to have her. Letting her came to this world, her mother had to pay the price. That was what she believed.

Realization washed over her whole. She was then mad at herself. If it wasn't because of her….then her mother would still be here. She now understood why the Amazons despite her existent.

Fury burn her heart. And rage burn her soul. That when she started running and slamming herself into tables, seats, walls or anything around the room to hurt herself, screaming as she went. She'd considered about jumping off the balcony but it would mean suicide and suicide would not be a punishment, it was a getaway. So she didn't. The more the pain consumed her the more she guilt she felt it left her body. But not long before her room became trashed. Her whole body was aching. Bruises all over. She split her lips, cut her chin and she was sure there was a long gash on her hand from broken vase. It left her felt empty.

When her body was about to give up, she dropped and knelt on the floor, clapped her hands together, praying to any gods she could think of, she cried their names, begging them to return her mother. Bargaining them to take her instead or whatever a six years old could come up with. But nothing changed, nothing happened. So she told them to take her too. Told them to take her away to be with her mother. Instead, all her injuries were completely healed.

As if it was to tell her something. Lysandra didn't get it.

Because instead of calming her down. The fire inside her sparked and burn bright with anger. She started the process all over again. Every cuts, scraps, bruises, gashes would heal in the matter of hours and not even leaving scars on her beaten body. But her mother was still gone.

It went on for days, but to Lysandra it was like forever.

At the end, she just dropped on the floor and laid there, exhausted. She cried until there were no more tears to shed. She sobbed until her throat inflamed and her voice lost. Her room was a mess from her madness. She didn't eat at all during that time. She ignored people who came to knock on her door, or telling them to go away. Until the last day, the queen herself came.

"Lysandra! as your queen, I demand that you open this door at once! Or I shall have it remove whether you like it or not!"

_As your queen_. She said. _Not As your grandmother_.

But she did opened it and let the queen in. She was tall and majestic. Her blue eyes were cold. Like a deep sea that she felt she would drown everytime she looked into them. Her golden locks shone in the sunlight. She didn't smile, only looked down at Lysandra who stood there in the middle of trashed room.

"What is this madness Lysandra?" She asked, her voice was still, not showing any anger, any concern, not showing any emotions. Typical for her it seemed. It was easy for her to be that way after losing her daughter, Lysandra's mother. Hippolyta was an Amazon. She was their queen. She was supposed to be the strongest, the boldest, the fearless. She was a soldier. She knew sacrifice. She knew how far she would mourn for her grief. But Lysandra did not.

She didn't want to grief because she didn't want to actually believe her mother was really gone. She had told herself, she cried and sobbed and screamed because of the pains in her little heart. Because if she didn't, she thought that she would combust.

Lysandra didn't reply back. She only stood silently, looking up to the queen. Their blue eyes met. Even though they were related, the shades of their orbs were different. Hippolyta's were lighter shade of blue, with the tint of green, like the ocean, that bottomless sea beyond Themyscira shore. But Lysandra's were darker shade of blue. They had no hint of any other colors. Just pure blue. Not the steely gray shade, not the greenish tint, not the violet hint. just high blue, sometimes like a cloudless sky when she stood in the sun or deeper shade like navy blue in low light or at night time.

And the relationship between them were just like their eyes, it wasn't related. She didn't feel the slightest connection with Hippolyta either physically or emotionally. The queen loved her mother, she knew that. But with her, if she ever loved Lysandra at all, she did a great job concealing it. It was those vibes she could sense from people, they would spread through her, letting her picked up their feelings, their loves, their hatreds, their affections or their hostilities. But not with Hippolyta. With the queen, she felt nothing. Though she decided this wasn't an ability to be relied on.

Still, Lysandra never felt attached to her maternal grandmother. She felt that she should but she didn't. Instead she felt distance. She felt emptiness in the space between their connection. She felt stranded in her presence. She was never affective towards Lysandra, she never offered her warm hands or hugs or kind words. All she gave were the coldness of her blue eyes, her sharp voice and her indifference.

So Lysandra told herself, those feelings between them were mutual. It wasn't just her that she felt disconnected. Hippolyta felt it too.

So why was she here, in her room. After both of their love one were gone. She never knew.

"You are a mess, girl…." She said again after the silence reached its peak. Averting her eyes away as she looked around the destroyed room, she inhaled deep breath then spoke again without looking back at Lysandra. "clean yourself up, have Selia help you. Then join me for dinner"

And, she just…..left.

She left her quarter without saying anything else, or why. Why would she want Lysandra to join her at dinner. They never had a meal together, just the two of them. Her mother was always the bridge in between. She used to be terrified of Hippolyta, from her cold eyes and indifferent face, though she was beautiful in her own way but she was like a statue of those goddesses Lysandra saw in the temples, beautiful but meant to be terrifying. She could count how many of those meals they had until that day.

Now that their bridge was gone. Leaving them a distant shallow space between two sides. She wanted to have a meal with Lysandra?

Selia didn't let her indulge into anymore thoughts then. She led Lysandra quickly to her own bathing area. She drew her a warm bath. Helped her out of few days old cloth and untied her sandals. Combed the knots out of her black hair as she soaked in lavender smelling tub. She let Lysandra cleaned her tear strained face with wet cloth. Pat her skin dried when she came out of the water. Then helped her in fresh cloth and with a new pair of sandals before sending her out the queen's chamber. They didn't talk much. Lysandra was thankful for that.

Artemis was one who collected her from her quarter. They didn't talk either as they walked silently to their destination. On the way, Lysandra could hear all the noise and music came from distance as if the Amazon outside the palace were celebrating. She didn't pay attention to them, she wasn't in any mind to care. When she got to Hippolyta's private dining quarter, she was already seated and the feasts were already served. Artemis nodded her head and left the two of them. She curtsied before took her seat at the end of the table.

They could hear the music and cheering from outside as they ate in silence. Or rather, Lysandra just played with her food. Even though she didn't eat for days she wasn't that hungry. And eating with the queen made her throat squeezed itself tighter, making it harder for her to swallow anything down.

"They are celebrating…."

Lysandra looked up from her food, to the Queen whose face was hardened. She didn't say anything, only watch her continue talking.

"…It's been five days and they're still celebrating. Diana had become divine powers…to them she is now seated among the goddesses" Hippolyta didn't look at her as she spoke, instead staring at some random object on the table. "…But I think we both know better"

"…" Lysandra still kept her mouth shut. She didn't really get what this conversation would bring anything out.

"…..You have lost your mother. And I, I have lost my daughter….My little sun and stars, my everything. I had lost her once when she ran away to save Man's world. And now I've lost her again…" The Queen closed her eyes but she could see them trembling under the eyelids as if she was holding tears that formed behind them. "….But as a queen I could not grief as much as you do…."

"What do you need of me, _My queen_?"

_What do you want from me? What do you want to get out of having a meal together when you never actually care?_

Lysandra finally spoke for the first time since she sat down. Her voice coarse but she didn't feel that burning sensation in her throat anymore. She looked directly at the queen who glanced back at her.

There was a long pulse before Hippolyta answered. "Truly, I do not know"

"Do you blame me for her losing, too, My queen?" She stiffed at Lysandra's words. But her younger self continued "…My apology, of course you do. Even I did…."

Lysandra stood, her chin held high as she didn't let her gaze falling off from Hippolyta. Their blue but different shades of eyes met.

"I have done all the grieving, My queen. Mother does not want me to be a weak little child" She spoke with determination in her heart. Remembering her mother's last words. "She told me to become strong and become wise….So strong and wise, I shall"

She was done. If no one would help her save her mother, be the gods themselves or whoever, she did not need them. She would be the one who break the curse. But she knew the road would not be short and comfortable. It would be rough and difficult. She would hurt herself in the process. But she must. Because she was her mother's daughter.

Hippolyta stared at her still form for a long while. Neither spoke, only the eyes were connected.

Finally she spoke.

"Do what you will…..it is your choice" She said. Waving the hand, dismissing her.

Lysandra immediately curtsied, before spun her heels and walked out of the room. She marched straight to Artemis who was waiting outside the door. She was with another guard that she didn't pay any attention to remember her name.

"You are the best of them, Are you not, Artemis?" She asked as she stood in front of the tall Amazon.

Artemis blinked, her green eyes flashed a bit of confusion. But she replied.

"Second to your mother perhaps?"

Out of every Amazons she knew, Artemis was the strongest, boldest, fiercest warrior. She might not like Artemis. Because she wasn't kind and caring like Selia. She was harsh and unfriendly. But she was strong and intelligent. And Lysandra didn't want her for a friend. She didn't want her to be warm and cozy. She wanted her for a teacher, she wanted Artemis to beat the greatness out of her.

She wanted it the hard way. And that how she wanted her life would be from that moment on. The hard and solid way.

"Train me, make me be better than her"

"You won't be, Princess. She was blessed by the gods with powers and wisdoms. You on the other hand, only half an amazon with mortal blood in your veins" Artemis didn't seem to sneer but Lysandra didn't care.

"Then I shall train harder, I shall study more. Make the best out of me, Artemis. Because I have no other choice. If no one would help my mother. Then I must"

"You don't even know how to break the curse, princess. No one did, How would you do that when you don't even know how to proceed?"

"Then I will look at the cause of it. I will find the reason of this forsaken curse. But before I do I must become strong and smart. I must know how to survive, Please Artemis….I beg of you…"

They both pulsed. Artemis's fierce green eyes stared down at Lysandra's dark blue one.

"By training with me, I am not going to fool around, I shall be strict and I shall make your life a living hell….This won't be easy, Princess"

"Wouldn't dream of it"

And for the first time since her mother was gone, Lysandra smiled.

* * *

After three weeks of training Lysandra realized what Artemis had promised wasn't just half of it.

The redhead Amazon wasn't joking around when she said she would make her life a living hell. Maybe It might be easier to live in Tartarus so she didn't have to endure all the bruises and scrapes. Though it would heal overnight and left her skin flawless for the next morning in order to be cut all over again.

Whichever gods that was responsible for such a stupid blessing. Because she would appreciate if they would made her skin more invulnerable along with enhanced healing factor so she could feel less painful anytime the blade slice her open. But no, the pain was always there and she had to wait until she at least caught some sleep to be able to heal.

She remembered her first day with Artemis. Her hands that held wooden staff, were trembling, She tried to hold back the tears behind her eyes.

"Are you afraid, child?" She said. Her voice was still but it gave Lysandra chill down her spine. Even though they stood in the middle of hot training ground. Without the roof, the sun blasted itself down on everything, including their bodies.

In truth, She was. She did scared out of her mind because of Artemis. She never face her with an Armed Artemis before. But she didn't answered. She kept her chin high and gripped her staff as it supported her badly bruised leg. Artemis circled her with her own staff in her hand, twirled it around. Her piercing green orbs bore down on her. As if to judge how pathetic she was after fifteen minutes of sparring.

"…..Are you afraid of getting hurt? Or are you afraid of even trying to hurt me?"

She was. Both. Her mother always taught her to be a gentle and caring person. She never hurt even a fly in her life. And How Artemis expected her to fight? She didn't know….until later..

"I take it that you are. Now….let see if I could teach you how to get rid of them!"

Artemis charged her as she screamed "Think of you mother, kid!"

The staff hit her good leg as Lysandra cried in pain. All she wanted was to drop the damn staff and held it but Artemis didn't let her, she swung down the wood on to her again. Their wooden staffs connected making thudding sounds as Artemis continued to yell at her "Think of people that called you those names! Those people who despite you! Who called you _a bastard child_…. THINK OF THEM!"

And she did, even though she didn't want to but they all popped up in her mind like weeds in the garden. Anger rose inside her as she remembered how they treated her behind her mother's back. She remembered the coldness of the queen's eyes that made her drown helplessly everytime they met hers.

She shook with rage and gripped her staff harder, bracing the impact and blocked Artemis's swing.

"Good. You are angry….use it. Let it drive you but don't let it control you…." Artemis's smile as she continued to slap her staff down on Lysandra who now are able to block them at least.

"Tell yourself, girl. Tell yourself you are not afraid. Say it!"

But she couldn't. She wanted to but her throat shut tight even when her mouth was gaping the words out but no sound was produced. Artemis's staff hit her right hand. It stung as she tried to hold her staff as more hit swooped down on her.

"Come on! You weak little thing!"

Artemis screamed in her face as another swing hit her hand, the pain erupted and she dropped the staff. But that wasn't enough. Artemis slammed the blunt tip into her gut knocking Lysandra on the floor.

She tasted blood inside her mouth. She must have bit her own tongue when she slammed to the ground. The wooden staff laid next to her. Artemis towered over her like a tall statue of Hera….not that she ever knew what Hera looked like…probably something like Artemis, Tall, hard, intimidating.

"Giving up so soon?" Artemis hovered over her, smirking. Lysandra glared back at her smug expression. But her body was screaming with pain. Tears brimmed over her eyes. But Artemis didn't stop there.

"….you can always quit, Princess. We all know that no one care if you were not trained…."

The words hit her in the gut harder than wooden staff as it shook her being.

_We all know that no one cares if you were not trained _

_We all know that no one cares._

_No one cares._

Anger erupted inside her entirely. The tear in her eyes seemed to dry from eyes by itself. The pain in her legs seemed to be less as she tried to stand. Artemis stopped smirking and returned the glare back at her.

Lysandra then remembered last year when she scratched Artemis's face. She knew that Artemis was still as scary as ever. She remembered her insolence and that satisfaction she got after seeing the red marks on Artemis's face. And her mother's words resonated in her head from memories.

_Do not be afraid, my dear stars…. _

"I…." Her voice shook, by what she wasn't sure. Stared back at the Tall Amazon. Repeating those words from her head "I….am not afraid"

_Do not fear pain….._

"I will not fear pain"

_Do not give up…_

"I will not give up"

She held her chin high as Artemis glared was upon her. Their eyes locked for sometimes before Artemis smirked again. She almost chuckled as she went down and picked up Lysandra's staff.

"Good!" She said as she tossed the staff back at the young princess.

Lysandra caught it and tried to hide her smile. Maybe Artemis wasn't that scary after all….

But that thought flew away five minutes later when she got wacked across the jaw.

_Well…it was only her first day…. _

* * *

The crowds cheered when Artemis knocked her off balance and the dagger in her right hand flew away. It slapped the ground but Lysandra managed to flip herself with a handspring and dodged the sharp blade of Artemis's hunting knife. She only got one left now since Lysandra disarmed her first one in the first five minute of the sparing. It was laid ignored by the foot of the cheering crowds.

"Come on, Artemis….it's been almost half an hour. But you still haven't knocked me out yet….I'm starting to think that you are getting….old?" Lysandra smirked. As they circled around each other again. She liked annoying Artemis. That was like her daily stress relief session.

"Do you know what's your problem, Princess?" Artemis asked, Lysandra only shrugged her shoulder and letting her continued. "…you fought like a wolf but you always ignore your injuries…."

"They will healed…..So…?"

"You are still an arrogant brat"

"You are still a moody old hag"

She grinned as she dodged Artemis's kick. Lysandra dropped on the ground and swiped her teacher's legs. She lost balance but quick enough to manage a handspring. Artemis didn't wasted time as she charged Lysandra with more power, her brute strength was superior than Lysandra. But the Amazon princess was faster and swifter. She was able to dodge all the swings from the sharp blade before Artemis kicked hard in her chest made she fell on the ground. The Taller Amazons pounced on her with knife at her throat.

"You lost, Princess…." Artemis said but her smirk came undone when she felt the sharp tip pressed behind her neck.

Lysandra smirked. "Maybe not"

* * *

Combat trainings were her favorite. Though it started out with such painful experiences. She remembered how she got tossed around the training ground. How Artemis's staff would wacked her in places that made her limped back to her afternoon study.

And the hard solid way that she wanted. She got it all.

As she grew older, she also got faster, stronger, tougher.

By the age of nine she was swift as lighting with knives and daggers. By the age of ten, Archery and throwing was her new hobbies. Her aim was so great that even Artemis clapped her hands in amusement. Other weapons came and went, she learned and mastered them all with such short time. When she reached Thirteen she was so great at unarmed combat. That when the group training started.

Group. Meaning, her, alone. Against a group of Amazons. Five to ten at a time, depended on how her or Artemis wanted it. And there were always volunteers to group up to beat her, not knowing what they actually getting themselves into.

Lysandra wasn't blessed to be superhumanly fast but she was still faster than most Amazons. With knife or dagger in her hand (sometimes none) she was able to dodge and knock them off their balances before cut them, marking them on their skins, on places that were supposedly fatal if she dig her sharp blade hard enough. Branding them that they were defeated by her, a spawn of mortal, a weak little girl they laughed at.

Sometimes she would have Artemis blindfolded her or tied her arms behind her back or both at the same time. Using only her body, her senses to guild her for defending herself. The thrill washed over her body as she listen to their breathings, to the sounds of their weapons moving through the air, to the sound of their stomping feet. Maybe she wasn't blessed with enhanced senses but that never stopped her from horning herself to become one. And she would smile smugly after hearing grunting all around as they hit the floor one by one.

She was damn good under Artemis' strict supervision. She might not be as great as her mother who was blessed. But she didn't need the gods to be notorious. She only needed the right trainings. It wasn't easy but she thought it was all worth the pains she endured.

* * *

"Get ready, the group fight is starting in ten minutes" Artemis hissed as she marched to the volunteers of the day that waiting on the side of the training ground. Lysandra smile smugly as Epione handed her wet cloth. Her honey color eyes shone with concern.

"What?"

"You shouldn't provoke Artemis like that…she is your mentor" Her voice was calm as if in 'I am not judging you, I am just telling you the fact' tone.

"Please, Epione…. You do know how Artemis and I train. We based our technics on insults…." Lysandra replied playfully as she rubbed the dust off her forehead.

"Why must you be so…..savage?" She shook her head at the princess "..and this group fight session. I don't like it. I do not understand why you and Artemis agreed to this ridiculous exercise…"

"Why? Because I let them think they can gang up and beat me?" Lysandra glared at the taller Amazon.

"I'm just worry about you, Lysandra. You like to play rough and at the end of the day you are the one that got hurt most" Epione snatched the wet cloth away from her before started cleaning Lysandra's face with gentle hand. Lysandra let her but didn't stop pouting.

"It will heal. It ALWAYS heals"

"But you still get hurt, Lysandra…. I don't like seeing you getting hurt…"

There were 3 people in Paradise Island that Lysandra liked and surprisingly they did not despite her existent. First was Selia, who was warm and kind to her. Second was Artemis, she technically didn't like Artemis but She does respect the redhead since she was the one who whipped the good out of her. She will always be grateful to Artemis. The last was Epione.

She met Epione when she was thirteen during her first hunt, who happened to be in the same Hunting party with her, Selia and Artemis. Lysandra didn't pay attention to her much apart from remembering a stare directed from her when the party first gathered which was normal. She met new Amazons who hold grudge against her everyday, besides there were over thousands of them on the island. So when Selia introduced everyone, Lysandra ignored those honey color eyes that direct at her. She was too focused on her goal that day. It was supposed to be her showcase event of her Archery that she'd been horning for months. Instead, she fell into an underground cave while they were pursuing an injured game.

"By the gods, Epione! You sound like Selia….I'm not a child anymore….so stop treating me like one!" She scowled. And Epione just shook her head in defeated. Before Lysandra finishing the glaring festival for Epione, Artemis called her back to start the next session.

"Careful, Lysandra…..I'm just worry about you" She called out before Lysandra left to join the group.

"Then don't. I can take care of myself"

"I know"

She knew Epione was just worried for her but it still got on her nerves everytime she did and treating her as if she was child. She wasn't use to having someone fussing over her beside her mother and Selia. She just felt uncomfortable.

"Finally, The princess decided to grace us with her presence" One of the Amazon said out loud. She had long brown hair and there's a scar on her left cheek. Lysandra ignored her, probably one of the people whom she _graced_ with her weapon.

"Rules are simple. This is an exercise. No fatal blow is allowed. No hidden, concealed weapon. When you are down. You are finished, Understood?" Artemis voice was sharp. She looked around direct her gaze at five other Amazons.

_Only five? Well, better than none._ She thought. This was going to end quicker than she thought it would.

"Lysandra, your weapon?" Artemis turned to her.

"Oh, since tomorrow I'm turning Seventeen and you said no training, I decided to go with none as my early birthday present to myself" Lysandra shrugged and grinned as smugly as possible. Not that she ever cared about her birthday, it was just another day for her. She just wanted to get under people's skin. She sensed unapproving eyes from Epione who stood on the sideline. Lysandra ignored her.

"Fool" Someone uttered. But Lysandra kept her cool. Looking at her opponents. Five stood around her. Two wielded knives. Two wielded Xiphos. One used dagger. All hated her. All wanted a piece of her. And all thought she was a foolish little weakling.

She would show them who was the fools here.

Lysandra grinned smugly as the first one charged.

* * *

That day during the Hunt, Lysandra didn't know how she fall, she didn't remember anything until she woke with blind headache at the end of the cave on her back, soaked in her pool of blood that probably came from the gash behind her head. Her left leg throbbed as well as her back. She couldn't see the sun in her sight from the narrow mouth of the cave. From the shade of the sky that was in orange hue, she guessed it was probably almost evening.

She blinked while laid down on the cold stone in the bottom of the cave. Her arms ached but didn't seem to be broken, her left leg on the other hand, the throbbing pain suggesting that she might have broken it. She wanted to sit up looked around the tight space the she was in. But her back disagreed with her completely. So she tried her best to move her head from side to side. Lysandra saw her bow laid not far from her right and her quiver with arrows spilled out, abandoned on her left. She moved her hand slowly to her belt checking if her hunting knives was still sheathed and winced from the pain in her shoulder.

She blinked again as she kept her body still. The pain was erupting inside and gushing out all over her body. She knew in matter of time the injuries would heal. So she told herself to sleep, to speed up the process of her self-healing.

She cursed the gods mentally as she shut her eyes.

When she woke again, the darkness was upon her. Only the stars were visible from opening of the cave. Her back pain was lessening. The gash on her head seemed to closed up a little. Her shoulders were still stiff. But her leg was still in a great pain.

Lysandra sat up, she hissed as the pain in her leg screamed right back at her. It was very swollen and she cursed under her breath when she inspected with her hand if it was broken. Appeared that the bone didn't snap in two, she was glad at least. Injury like this would take at least two or three days to completely heal even with her healing factor.

She groaned as she slid her body to sit against the wall of the cave. Her bow and arrows still laid abandoned nearby. She ignored them for now as she took off the belt, she used both of two sheathed hunting knives which were long enough to splint her leg before wrapped her belt to secure them.

Lysandra sighed when she done. She reached her flask that she took off her belt for water. Drank it carefully as she thought about how long it would last her, maybe two days. But with her injuries, probably not. She didn't know how far she could go without water. Food she could withstand the hunger for days. But water was another story.

She could wait until someone came and find her. Or she could try to climb up when her leg was in better shape. But again, she wasn't sure if any of them would care enough to come looking for her. Maybe Selia or Artemis would notice that no one was giving them a smart mouth. Maybe they would come looking for her. But how long would that be? And during The hunt, each party competed for the best game as offering to the Goddess Artemis. She was sure her life was nothing compare to the tradition for these amazons.

Suddenly the world fell silence around her. What if no one cared enough to look for her? And she was left here to die of hunger? _In some hole._ That would be ironic. After all the training she endured, but ending up dying of starvation.

She took a little sip of her water again. Looking up at the stars. Perseus carried Medusa's head across the dark sky. Andromeda chained to the darkness not far from him, waiting for his rescue.

_Poor Andromeda_. She thought. If Perseus wasn't there to rescue her, she would have died for being a sacrifice to the sea monster. And it wasn't even her fault to begin with. Stupid mother, Cassiopia who bragged about her beauty, causing the whole mess to start, And stupid father who believed the oracle that sacrificing his daughter was only way to save his kingdom. Princess Andromeda was chained to a rock. Waited for her fate to be decided. If it wasn't Perseus who helped her, though they didn't even know each other. She would have died.

"Too bad….I have no Perseus to rescue me" Lysandra snorted before told herself to sleep again.

This time when she woke her leg got much better. She looked at the wall of the cave as she sipped on some of remaining water from her flask. She could probably climb up because it wasn't as high as she thought it was. She had done some wall climbing before. But with her leg and proper equipment, it was going to be a hard one. The water in her flask was low now. It would only last her maybe one more sip. She needed to get out of this hole soon before her body starting to need more water.

She tried to stand, testing her leg. The pain was dull but still there so she decided to leave her hunting knifes as the splint for the time being. Meaning she would have to use her hands to climb up. Lysandra retrieved her bow and gathered her arrows before she swung the bow and quiver over her body. She put the flask inside her top. She didn't want to finish the rest of water yet. Just in case she failed to climb up, at least she would have some water to last her for a bit.

Lysandra looked up, the sunlight wasn't as hot, she presumed that it was still in late morning. Better get this done before noon when the sun would blasted the heat down on her. She touched the rock wall and started climbing.

And she was right, she fell the twice now. Her nails jagged and started to bleed, Her left leg started screaming in protest as the pain surged through her. She cursed and looked up. The sun long moved passed her head, it was late afternoon now. Soon it will be evening and night time was not an option to climb. With no light to guild her and even if she succeeded(which likely not) there were still wild animals in the woods to consider. If she wanted to get out of here, she better did it now.

Lysandra took the flask out of her top. She drank the rest of her water before toss it aside, savoring the last bit of it before wiped her mouth. She stepped her good leg on the stone again, hand reaching for a higher grip.

The gods be damned, Why would she be Andromeda when she could be Perseus?

"I will not fail. I will not fall"

She breathed in and out before started climbing again. This time she made it to the top. The breeze hit her face when she reached the surface.

Lysandra groaned and panted hard as she felt sharp pain in her left leg returned. She clawed and dragged herself up before rolled on her back with legs still hanging by the ledge. Bow and quiver digged into her back but she ignored it. Sweats didn't help as she laid there looking at the blue sky.

She made it.

Her throat started to burn, she needed water but she was so exhausted that she didn't want to move. Her consciousness was swimming and her eyes starting to close. Her ears picked up the rattle sound from the nearby shrubs. Maybe it was some wild animals ready to finish her. She barely had strength to move now, let alone fighting some wild beast.

"….Princess!" The voice called, unfamiliar. Or maybe it was just her consciousness playing tricks.

"By the gods, Princess!..."

Soon she felt warm hand scooped her up, honey eyes and short copper hair came into view, she could see freckles across the face. She just didn't remember who it was.

"….water…want water…"

Someone held her in their arms. She didn't really pay attention until gulping all the water from another full canteen. Freshness washed her throat and coldness started to cool down her body. Her eyes started to focus once again and the pain in her leg was also back.

She has short copper hair and light brown eyes. She didn't remember her name but memories skimmed out that she was in the same hunting party with her. And she smelled like strawberry, or maybe she was just hungry or something. The short hair Amazon smiled sweetly at Lysandra. Which was very….unusual. Most amazons wanted nothing more than to beat her to the pulp. And her arms was securing her up as she finished the rest of water in the flask.

"Easy…princess….let me see your leg…" She said after took away the empty flask. And reach over to examined her left leg. "….it might be broken, you shouldn't move around" Her eyes caught the opening of the hole in the ground, they widen before she looked back at her.

"Did you just climb up from that hole with your broken leg?" She asked, her voice seem too high, Lysandra cringed.

"…..I am Perseus not Andromeda…." Lysandra murmured before gave her a weak glare. "And who in hades are you?"

"My name is Epione, Princess. I'm in your hunting party" The short hair amazon smiled warmly at her before moved her down so that Lysandra's head was resting on her lap "We realized you disappeared after Artemis caught the game. We called out your name but you didn't answer" Her eyes shone with concerns "Someone suggested that you might went back out of the woods so we split the search party…we had no idea you were stuck underground"

_Ok, that was really weird._ Lysandra thought. Not only she didn't hate her, she seemed really concerned.

"Thanks all the gods you are alright! I have to send signal to Artemis and Selia so they know I found you…" She looked down and their eyes locked. "….What is it, Princess?"

"Why in Tartarus you smell like Strawberry?"

"You must be hungry then…." Epione smiled again and offered her the bread. Lysandra tore the wrap off and devoured all of it.

* * *

Memories of their first meeting vivid in her mind. And She was back in reality when the first opponent charged her by slashing the knife. She dodged it quickly, grabbing her arm and hurled her into the other two who hold Xiphos, all three of them swayed and hit the floor.

Three out. Two to go.

The other two charged her at the same time.

_Good!_ She thought. _This will make thing go quicker!_

She dropped on the ground last second before both of them strike at her made them clashed into one another, dropping their weapons. Lysandra didn't let them recover before grabbed both collar and slammed them against each other again, head to head. They yelped and fell to the ground. The crowd stopped cheering.

"Happy early birthday to me!" Lysandra shouted and smirked. Pointing her fingers at herself. But as she was about to turned her back, the brown hair Amazon who got scar in her cheek grabbed a dagger that she dropped on the ground and charged at Lysandra.

She might be taller than Lysandra but not as fast. The princess twirled around just in time for the blade to miss her face. She then immediately grabbed her opponent's wrist before twisted her weapon holding hand back. She heard it snapped as the sharp tip was pointed at the other's throat.

"Trying to stab me in the back again, I will make sure it buried in your throat" Lysandra hissed in her ear.

"…y…you wouldn't dare…." The brown hair Amazon spoke thought the grunt.

"Sure. You gave me all the reason to….so Help me gods, why don't I just get it over with?"

"Enough both of you!" Artemis shouted and Lysandra released her gripped before clashed her shoulder into her attacker making her clashed back to the ground.

"Polycasta! I told you that you are out when you down!" Artemis yelled at the brown hair amazon. Lysandra smiled smugly as she casually strode back to Epione. Tossing her ponytail in satisfaction.

"And you Princess!, you need to stop with that arrogant attitude!" Artemis screamed in her way but Lysandra just rolled her eyes.

"Please…..that's my charming point! Isn't that right, Epione?" She glanced at Artemis before turned around and batted her long lashes at the short hair Amazon.

"Argg!" Artemis was letting out a frustration huff and rubbed the bridge of her nose when another royal guard ran in the training ground and announced.

"Artemis, The queen has request you in her chamber, it is urgent"

Artemis gave the messenger a horrific glare, making her almost faint at the spot. But she replied. "Tell her I will be right there after changing"

The messenger sprinted out without looking back. Artemis on the other hand turned around to Lysandra who still smirking back at the other five Amazons who just lost to her.

"Look like our afternoon study will be halt until I am done, try not to get killed before I came back, Princess"

"Of course, Artemis! I promise I will behave!" _As if_.

"Epione, keep eyes on her" She said with a frown before turned around and announced "Alright Everyone, this training session had finished for the day, now OUT!"

The crowds dispersed fast because no one wanted to face Artemis's wrath. Leaving Lysandra wondered what did the queen want so urgent that have to send someone to called Artemis out from their training. Epione was on her side, didn't notice that Lysandra intensely watched her teacher exited the training ground in a hurry.

* * *

PS;

Long chapter is long! I, myself Love reading long chapter. I hope I didn't bore you to dead lol.

The quote in the Beginning of the chapter is my most favorite quote of all time. I'm glad I could elaborated it into the story! XD

Next chapter will be post around Monday as well. Since it's my only day off. For now, please Review if you can? I love to hear what you guys think!


	7. 6 Trouble in Paradise

Disclaimers :: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N :: Still un-beta. ;A; I updated the rate of this story from T to M. Since this chapter contains materials of same-sex relationships. Due to Amazon Cultural traits. If you are put off by this I apologized. But It is necessary to the story line. You have been warned.

Now, Onward to the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 6 :: Trouble in Paradise **

_Not even the very wise can see all ends._**  
- J.R.R. Tolkien**

"Why do you think the queen want to see Artemis in the middle of the day?" Lysandra asked as she popped another fresh strawberry in her mouth. Epione and she were sitting under the shade of the oak tree by the lake. They just finished their late lunch. And enjoy the causality of afternoon breeze. Usually Lysandra would be in Temple of Athena for her afternoon study with Artemis. And Epione would be somewhere on her guarding duty. Today she told Lysandra that her shift won't start until later.

"I don't know. She is the queen. She can talk to her trust guard whenever she pleases, I suppose?" Epione replied, didn't let her gaze dropped from the scrape on her right cheek.

"Stop" Lysandra said in a warning tone. She glanced back at the short hair amazon who raised an eyebrow in question. She continued "Stop looking at it. I told you it will heal…"

"I just hate to see your pretty face ruined"

Lysandra snorted as a replied.

"Coming from someone who has a long line of amazons waiting to bed with…." The young princess scowled at the remark. Epione just blinked at her.

It was true. She knew that for the Amazons, finding lovers in their own people was very common. But not everyone, Like Artemis. She was sure Artemis lived live of celibacy. Though she saw those wanting eyes from all her admirers. Amazons always have things for strong, dependable type. Though they didn't need to depend on anyone. Epione, on the other hands. Lysandra knew she had lovers before. And others who still wanted her to take them to bed. Couldn't blame them when you actually looked at Epione.

Lysandra glanced at her strong jaw and those pretty light brown eyes. She was beautiful thought different from her mother. She knew attractive when she saw one. And Epione was one. Especially when she smiled kindly. The way her thin lips curved up like a bow. The way her copper hair shone in sunlight and those freckles across her fac….

"Stop looking at me like that, I make me hard to concentrate…." Epione's voice called her back from the thoughts. That soothing voice…

Lysandra flushed and bit her lip.

"Sorry"

"My dear Lily….I know that you don't mean what you said" Epione's word made her flinched. She always called Lysandra that. It made her shuddered with the name. Only person who ever called her by other names beside 'Princess' or 'Your Highness' was her Mother. (not included Artemis who yell and shout names at her all the time in training sessions)

"Stop calling me lily, I'm no flower…" She frowned before popped another strawberry into her mouth. She quickly chewed it and continued "….Why do I got to be a flower? Couldn't I be a tree? Maybe an Oak or Olive tree…..?" Yeah, Oak sounded good. A big strong tree. Or an Olive Tree…old and strong.

"Oh?" The short hair amazon raised one of her copper eyebrow. "You want to be a tree?"

"Not just any tree, I want to be a big strong tree, the kind that not uproot in the storm" Lysandra noted as she spoke her mind.

"I rather have you as flower, Lysandra…fitting your beauty and all…."

Lysandra snorted at the remark. Before gave Epione a glare.

"I'm just speaking the truth" She said, her face flushed a little bit "….I don't know who in Hades taught you how to glare, Lysandra….I believe it works too well"

Lysandra just shrugged. She never really cared about compliments that Epione had been giving her for years. She knew she wasn't ugly or anything but there were plenty of beautiful people on this island. Besides, she never actually paid attention to how she would look. Since Training and studies always took away most of her time.

She rather be known as fearful warrior than a beautiful princess. In all her studies or stories she always remembered those princesses whose beauty brought dangers upon them. Like Helen of Troy, who got kidnapped by Paris and sparked the Trojan War. Or Persephone who also got kidnapped by Hades because he fell in love with her while she was innocently picking flowers. Or Andromeda, whose mother bragged about her beautiful face was greater than the Nereids and angered Poseidon and she was chain to a rock for a sacrifice.

If beauty was truly great then why beauty did not save them from their fates?

She thought of her mother. A beautiful and brave Amazon. Even with all the blessing from the gods. No one was there to save her from her fate. Not even the man she claimed to loved her.

It was not that she despite love either. She knew Epione was pining for her since she was fifteen, she had made it very obvious that she was ready to wait until Lysandra ready and old enough. And often went out of the way to show concerns or showing everyone that she was courting her(Though she would preferred the Amazonian courting way, as in sparring) Adding more hates from those Amazons who were with her or wished to have her.

She would be lying if she said she didn't feel anything for Epione. In fact she quite like the attentions Epione showered her. And she was very attractive. But Lysandra just wasn't sure she wanted anything more than just playful bantering. And sometimes overly concerns from Epione did put her off. That was why she never accepted Epione's feelings out loud and never denied it either. She just left it there and not wanting to think about it. And Epione never actually pressed the matters.

She just wished that it would stay this way for the time being, because she had other things to worry about. Her love life can wait a few years later.

* * *

The water was cool when Lysandra submerged. She loved cooler bath after a long day of training. Though Selia had told her warm one would help her better with her aching body but it wasn't like she ever listened.

She gritted her teeth as her skin tingled, her bruises ached and her scrapes prickled. She stayed under until her lung screamed before emerged. She gaped for air as she wiped water out of her face, ran her hands through her thoroughly wet hair. She then tried scrub off the dirt on her tan skin with wet cloth.

"Stop! Stop!...by the gods Princess….are you trying to peel your skin off?" The voiced shouted, Lysandra didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"I can bath myself, Selia…." She huffed, still scrubbing her arm. Selia didn't wait and snatched wet cloth away from her, she ignored Lysandra's glower and started scrubbing her back. She avoided the scrapes and bruises as she went along.

"You know I am not made of glass…" Lysandra protested as she let Selia who sat by the edge of the square bath, gently clean her skin.

"Believe me, I do"

She let Selia worked her magic with the wet cloth, not long before she felt she was so clean and felt even more naked. Then she moved to combing the knots out of her wet hair, slowly worked her way from the bottom of her long locks.

Selia came to attend her from time to time. And Lysandra always told her that she was not a handmaiden, she was royal guard of the Queen. She shouldn't be doing these kinds of things. But The older woman shook he head and brushed it off, telling her not to worry about it.

"I can't believe you are turning Seventeen tomorrow….." Selia said in a strained voice.

"…Selia, Are you crying?" The young princess raised her brow as she turned around and saw Selia wiped away her face with the back of her hand.

"Hera….I felt like you were just this small when I tended to you after you mother was gone" The words made Lysandra's body stiffed. She didn't like the idea of other people, even Selia, mentioning about her mother. She let Artemis reminded her during the training just to motivate hers. But conversation about her mother was usually forbidden to anyone.

She should change the subject.

"Did you know the queen had someone collected Artemis today right in the middle of my training?" She asked, really didn't expected any answered from Selia but she could feel the moving hands stopped at her words.

"….oh Did she, now?" There was a pulse. It made Lysandra wanted to turn around but the hand in her hair started moving again so she sat still "….I supposed it was probably about the feather of Hermes…."

"Feather of Hermes? What in the god's name have anything to do with Artemis?"

Lysandra knew about The Feather of Hermes, she'd seen it in The Temple of Hermes when she was younger. As the name said, it was a single feather in a crystal orb. Given to the Amazons by Hermes himself. For the purpose she never cared to ask.

"…..I…I don't think I should tell you….actually we should forget that I mentioned it at all…" Selia's voiced was rushed it made Lysandra turned around and narrowed her eyes.

"Selia…what harm can this will possibly do to me? As you recall, I have thousands of angry Amazons to deal with on daily basis….what could have been worse?"

Or could it?

"Well….." Her voiced was uncertain.

"Please?...you made me very curious now!" Lysandra batted her eyelashes at her.

"alright, But you will not speak about this to anyone, you understood?" Lysandra nodded violently she splashed some water.

"Someone tried to steal it, the guards were gravely injured the other day"

"Who would want Feather of Hermes? What it actually do anyway?" Lysandra blinked at the news.

"I believed, it has power to open some kind of gate…." Selia's voiced trailed off…

"A gate? To what?"

"I'm not sure but nothing you need to worry about, Artemis was the one who was oversee the investigation, because it is unlikely for us Amazons to steal. It is against our codes"

_Yeah, as well as ganging up try to beat a kid_. Lysandra thought grimly and settled back in the bath. She closed her eyes for a while. Until Selia announced that she should get out before her skin began to peel off. But when Lysandra stepped out of the bath, trying to dry herself, she saw the clothing that was prepared for her. She almost glowered.

"….And please do tell why I have to wear fancy clothes?"

"The Queen require you for dinner tonight"

Lysandra scrunched her nose as she looked at the garments Selia had laid out for her. She turned to give Selia an unapproving look. "Can I just go in naked?..."

"Those are what she wanted you to wear" She said as if she was singing a song.

"Naked it is…"

* * *

Of course, Selia would never let Lysandra go to the Queen's chamber without clothes. So after an hour of dressing her in ivory color chiton that fell to her ankles, braiding her dark locks, putting unnecessary ornaments on her clothes. She let Lysandra marched out of the room, her new sandals dig into the skin of her ankles. Fibulae that fastened over her shoulder blades prickled on her. And the griddle around her waist was too tight it made her want to vomit. How did Selia expecting her to eat like this? Out of the accessories she wore, the only thing she liked were her silver bracelets, they shone under the light on her bare arms.

She was required to wear them as a tradition of an Amazon. They'd called it "Bracelets of Submission" to remind every Amazons of those torturous years under men's subjugation. She remembered her first day, when The Queen had given her the pair. She was ten years old, Telling her that she was never to take them off unless in bath. She knew the rule. If she was to count herself as an Amazon, she must abide this action. Lysandra learned fast that they were more than just decoration or reminder from ugly past. They were also her personal armor, for they were able to deflect sharp objects and with practice she was able to use it when she dodged arrows or other projectile weapons. The bracelets became part of her body as she trained.

Frustration rang in her mind a bit as she stomped down the corridor. She'd planned to catch some sleep before dinner. She wanted her body to rest a bit, wanting all the cuts and scrapes to heal themselves before she put food in her mouth but the queen seemed to have other plans for her.

Her thought returned back to her destination. A meal with Hippolyta meant they would sat in silence, ate their foods, the queen would asked her question and she would answer shortly, then they would parted for the evening. This occasionally happened few times a year since she was six years old. Those incredibly awkward moments. Selia pointed it to her that maybe it was a way of the queen to show that she still acknowledged her existent.

She snorted at the thought and ignored the look those Royal guards gave her before she enter The Queen's private quarter.

"You cannot possibly hidden her away forever, Your majesty!"

The familiar voice escaped in and filled an empty hallway before she reached the inner room. Made Lysandra stopped short on her feet. It was Artemis's.

"I am the queen of the Amazons, I shall do what I see fit" Hippolyta's voice was firm.

"Even this was something decided by the fates, you would defied them, Your Majesty?" Lysandra could tell that from Artemis's tone she was angry. She knew that firsthand from being trained by the redhead for years. Look like they were arguing about something. Lysandra walked on tiptoes closer to the door which was slightly ajar. She held her breath.

"Diana had asked me to protect her, And I shall"

"But that didn't mean you could locked her away on this Island! That child deserves to choose her own path, just like Diana did!"

"And end up like Diana? No Artemis. I will not let that happened again!"

Were they talking about her? They absolutely did. But Lysandra just couldn't make any senses of their conversation. Whatever it was clear Hippolyta and Artemis were at their crossroad of agreement. If she could listened in a little mo…

But silence was suddenly slipped in. And Lysandra knew her presence was known to them now, she couldn't possibly pretend that she didn't hear anything, or could she?

Before she could think further, the door swung opened and Artemis stormed out, startling her. The redhead glanced at her but said nothing before she stomped out of the Queen's chamber.

"How long are you going to make me wait, girl?" Hippolyta's voice was demanding. Lysandra winced slightly before she marched into the room, chin held high as her body was still aching all over.

* * *

It was just like those usual awkward times they always shared during the meals. Hippolyta and Lysandra sat at each very ends of the table. The distant between was very a nice touch. But then The queen broke the silence, just like usual, except this time she asked something Lysandra didn't expected.

"I heard you take quite a liking in that tall guard, What's her name? Epthime?"

"Epione" Lysandra corrected "Yes, she is a _friend_"

What did the queen want by asking her this? Lysandra didn't want to know where this going to lead.

"Yes, that. Very good choice. She was quite a strong one if she was one of the royal guards, Do you like her, girl?"

"Of course, I do" _She is a friend!_ Lysandra screamed mentally. She didn't want to talk to the queen, Her maternal grandmother about her non-existent love life. "She is a very nice person and a good friend. Nothing more…." She pulsed, an idea came through her mind "…Thought, I would love to see what Man's world has to offer…."

She could see the queen stopped halfway as her mouth gaped. Horror flushed her face as Lysandra tried hard not to laugh. But it was so funny! Suddenly The queen composed herself and rose to her feet, expression hardened.

"You will not leave this island, child…" Her tone was warning.

"Why, My Queen? It's not like anyone want me to be here" Suddenly Lysandra understood something. Her eyes narrowed as she also rose to her feet, her chin held high. She narrowed her blue eyes.

"Are you trying to coax me into finding a lover here? Do you believe it would help me stay locked away here? I am not a child!"

"You will always be a child, Lysandra….you must know that I…..Your mother wanted you to be safe…."

"My mother is a statue!" Lysandra jeered "And nobody cared to protect her! To save her! I am the only one who trying to do something! And even if it meant I am to leave this place then I shall!"

"You do not know what are you talking about, child! Do you know what is outside this island?! Do you know what kind of monster lies beyond the horizon?!" Hippolyta pounded the table. Lysandra tried not to wince, she never seen the queen looked so angry before, she never seen the queen show this much emotion at all in fact.

"I am not afraid"

"You should be! Look what the Man's world did to your mother…"

"It was her choice, My Queen. She chose to be selfless and disobeyed you to save the world" Lysandra didn't want to state the more obvious fact but it still popping in her mind. _She chose to have me._

Hippolyta scowled at her. "You will not disobey me, child"

"…Watch me…." She hissed. And didn't care to look back when the queen called out for her.

She was long gone into the darkness.

* * *

Lysandra ran. Ignoring the looks anyone gave her as she pulled up her dress and rushed off into the night. She was furious and all she could think about was to hit something. So she went straight to only place she could do that.

Her training ground.

The darkness was not completely consumed the place when she got there. It was dark enough except for the moonlight that graced down upon roofless dome. Stars shone and flickered in sight as she lifted her head to see. Lysandra went straight to throwing range. She didn't bother to lit the torch nearby. Her hand travel to the throwing knives set. Grabbed them by the pouch and pulled off the shelf. Lysandra stood far from the target. After a deep inhale and long exhale, she started letting the knives fly. One by one they hit the dull target board furiously.

She could go to Archery range which was also nearby but there always guarded. Here no one cared much about this place, solely because it was _her_ training area. She took comfort of it from time to time when the air at the high cliff wasn't enough to calm her down. Throwing let her steam off quite alright but she did better when there was someone to spar with, which of course, not often available option so she took what she could get.

She held three knives in her left and let her right doing the throwing. Shifting her weight on her legs to lessen stress from her arm. Her body was still aching from the practice today, so she decided to go slow. Or to be correct, as slow as her anger would let her.

But when she was at her last throw of the set, something made her stop. The noise to be exact, giggling and laughing and conversation in hush voice. Lysandra narrowed her eyes and stopped midair before she let her last knife fly, before she saw two bodies stumbling in through the door. Chests crushed to one another, hands entwined and lips locked. They apparently too occupied with each other to notice Lysandra's presence in the training ground, as she saw the taller one with short hair, swung the other against the wall, lifting her up with ease. And continued grinding their bodies and lips together.

She remembered that short, vividly bronze hair. There was the only one who had that kind of hair.

It was Epione.

* * *

She stood frozen still, as she felt the rush of emotion rose from the pit of her stomach. She didn't want to know what kind of emotion it was. Maybe anger? Or is it jealous? She didn't care then. Her mind fogged and before she could think straight, her body let her last knife flew through the air.

It hit the wall inches away from their heads. They both gasped and turned around. Lysandra felt a little bit of satisfaction in her chest when she saw Epione's eyes widen at the sight of her in darkness. She almost shoved the other woman away immediately.

"Princess!"

They both flushed red but Lysandra held herself to stay impassive as possible. Epione whispered something into the woman's ear before letting her rushing out of the door.

"What? No goodbye kiss? Epione, you are such a bad lover" She controlled her voice to stay calm, not showing that unexplained anger inside her.

"My dear lily, it is not what you think…" Epione rushed to her side but before she had a chance to touch Lysandra's shoulder, the young princess moved away.

"_Don't touch me_." Lysandra swayed back out of her reach, her voice was almost like a dangerous hiss of a snake. The taller Amazon stopped midair at her word before retreat her arm back to her own side. Lysandra glared dagger at her. "And Don't call me a goddamn lily!…..How dare you…." She felt her throat trying to close itself, preventing words from her mouth to come out but she wasn't going to stop. "…How dare you bring some woman in here. In _my_ training ground. In _my_ sanctuary….I do not care who you bed with but please be discrete and do it in your private chamber… "

Something flickered in Epione's amber eyes as she narrowed them. "….oh? So _you do not care_ if I bed with other women?"

Lysandra held her chin high, her blue eyes meeting Epione's honey ones. "…..it is your life, it is your choice who do you love…"

"I've loved you!" She shouted. Her expression darkened. "For years. I know that you knew! And you pretend that you do not care! How cruel can you be, Princess?"

"It is better this way" Lysandra told herself and realized she had said it out loud.

Suddenly Epione grabbed her arm and clashed her lips on to Lysandra's. She tasted like roasted lamp and honey and lemon. Her hand clutched at Lysandra's waist, making the griddle digged into her skin. She still smelled like strawberry just the same as the first time they met in the woods. But the ferocity that assaulted her lips wasn't the same as that gentle Epione she ever knew. So she bit hard on the other's tongue and shoved her away.

She could taste Epione's blood in her mouth as she gaped for air. The pang in her chest hit her hard and she had to hold herself from crumbling.

Their eyes met again, She could see all the emotions pouring out from Epione. Anger, guilt, pain, love. All those that Lysandra could not reciprocate. She was not in a position to, she could not possibly accepted and returned Epione's feelings. She had a destiny of her own, and she would not be bound to anything until she achieved her goal. Why couldn't Epione understand? And all these time Lysandra thought that she did.

"You know I could die for you" Epione's voice was dark. As she wiped blood away from her lips.

"Then go to Tartarus!" Lysandra screamed and her legs carried her off once more. She ran past Epione who shout her name out and just like with the Queen, Lysandra did not look back

* * *

She ran up the hill without stopping. Lysandra's heart throbbing fast, she felt like she couldn't breathe. She needed to get away, she needed some solace. She needed her mother.

She panted when she reached the Village of temples. The light from torches were lit from all the temples. But there was nobody out there. And she was glad that The Queen didn't send the guard to drag her back. And Epione didn't come after her. Lysandra took a deep breath and changed her pace from running to walking instead.

It was rather quiet tonight. The night breeze was warm as it should for summer. Tomorrow was Midsummer's eve, her birthday. She was turning seventeen. Another year would pass and Her mother was still cursed.

Frustration washed her body again. First was the Queen, who Lysandra was sure, never did care about her, Telling her that she should be protected from Man's World. And then Epione, who declared her love after she got caught kissing with some random woman. She didn't know which one upset her more.

Lysandra didn't want to think that she was actually disappointed in Epione, She knew too well about her past lovers and she knew she could not give anything back to Epione but still, she was furious. May it be jealousy she felt? or disappointment? She didn't know anymore.

She needed solace from her mother's presence and she needed it now, even it was just her as a statue. But something caught her eyes when she was about to pass Temple of Apollo, or rather someone.

_Oh! What is it now?!_

She scowled at the thought and realized it was just Pythia, the priestess of Apollo temple. She'd never seen her outside her oracle chamber. People said that she was blind but from the look of it as she was walking about outside now, Lysandra bet all her gold that she was just fine. So she ignored her, minding her own business and started stalking off to her desired direction.

"Heed my words, Princess of Amazons…" The voice called, it was rasp and cold, it Lysandra stopped and turned around, she almost stunned when she met Pythia's blank white eyes. She swore less than a minute ago the priestess was yards away from her.

"…What?..." She startled when the priestess grabbed her shoulder hard, she was slightly shorter than Lysandra and much skinnier, her boney hand clutched hard on her shoulder as she opened her mouth and spoke again. There seemed to be some kind of smoke coming out of her mouth.

_"…The Fates are unkind As the oldest king releases his rage.  
Blood of Mortal and blood of god in your veins shall lead to path of great misery,  
you shall shed, bleed and scream in agony before ascend.  
Betrayal is to come and cut you to the bone.  
Thicker than Water, Thicker than blood shall break the curse.  
Fear not the little one for future. Your loves shall be your salvations.  
The king must fall, the king must fall, the king must fall…._

_The Fates are unkind As the oldest king releases his rage…..  
Blood of Mortal and blood of god in your veins shall lead to path of great misery…" _

And Pythia repeated the passage over and over as she clutched to Lysandra's shoulder. She yelped and shoved the skinny body of the priestess away as she felt to the ground. Unmoving. But Lysandra wasn't in any mind to care. She kept her pace fast again. As she determined to get to her mother's temple before any weird things happened again.

_Did she just witness the prophecy? What in Hades was that?!_ Her mind screamed for answers she knew could not handle. She needed her mother now, And Not even Hera could stop her again!

And she did reached the temple without any more distraction. Lysandra was glad. She took a deep breath and tried to stay calm, she wanted to throw all her worry outside, and went to meet her mother with a smile.

But as soon as she stepped inside, her nose picked up the thick smell of iron, the smell of blood. Her body instinctively became cautious, her eyes searched around the inside of the temple as best as she could under the only guidance of moonlight.

The torches were laid abandon the marble ground. The heart that always stoked fire was knocked over and she saw a large pool of blood, familiar figure laid sprawled on the ground, face down, the brow hair spill over marble floor….Selia…

Another figure hovered over her, stood with back to Lysandra. An illuminated object in hand, A bright vivid light of a single feather in a crystal orb. The Feather of Hermes…

"Oh good. I have been waiting for you, Princess…."

Familiar voice said as the figure turned to face her, those piercing green eyes she knew better than anyone. And that commanding voice she remembered in her heart.

Lysandra tried not to let her voice broke, when that body walked into the moonlight, confirming her suspicious.

"….Artemis..."

* * *

**PS;** Whoops gotta cut the end here! Sorry guys! LOL I know it's not as long as the last chapter, but hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

I have many reviews, PMs telling me they couldn't wait for Lysandra to meet The Batman, yes, guys she will but not in a few chapter as I said before. Though I believe next chapter she will be in Gotham. But hey….As anyone remember the prologue that Lysandra was in Gotham for two months without seeing Bruce, how she goes under detection of the Batman… well, gotta keep reading, right? (Now I'm teasing too much ehh?)

Some guest review saying Lysandra should have a love interest(or more than one?), ehehe, she will. But as stubborn as she is….I wonder how it will end at all?

Next chapter will be post around Monday/Tuesday as usual, unless anything happened and I was too busy, I will try to get it done as fast as I can. Or if you want to follow how far I am with the story you can also follow me on my twitter, link at my profile.

Thank you all the reviews, you know I love review so please, please? And also thank you for anyone who favorite and follow the story! You have all my love!

So…who is it that will betray Lysandra, Isn't it Artemis? or is it? Until the next chapter!


	8. 7 What Lies Beneath

**Disclaimers ::** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N ::** Still un-Beta ;w;b This chapter contains possibly extreme violence and strong language. Please do not try it at home! Or in front of your parents!  
Looked like a lot of people skipped the last chapter because of the warning LOL Sorry ;w; But Don't worry, not much of Amazonian coupling anymore than this, I believe.

To the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 7 :: What Lies Beneath**

_It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.  
_**-William Blake**

She remembered the stars were so bright that night of her fifteenth birthday. Lysandra was sitting on a thin blanket with a basket of fresh strawberries in her lap. She was by the edge of her favorite cliff, enjoying the night breeze of Midsummer's eve. Looking out at the dark sea. Thinking about the life outside, the life she could have lived, the people she could have met and knew, if her mother was still alive. Or if she never left Man's world.

She learned things about outside the island with Artemis in Afternoon sessions, Temple of Athena provided them with grand knowlegde, about a live of _normal _people on the main land. How they didn't have to learn the way of swords and shields anymore. How to notch the arrow, to hunt for a game. How modern technology worked. As if she would one day needed it.

And with all the things she'd learned it made her wonder what it would feel like to have a father.

To have someone, a man giving you endlessly without asking you back for anything. It was different kind of bond you had with a mother, who carried you for months before you were born. It was only natural for her to love you, since you shared blood and food and everything else together for 9 months. You were her flesh and blood, you were part of her.

But for a man, to feel just same for you, to be there for you and protect you from all the harms. To have a man, telling about how you needed to go to bed early and you were not allowed to play with sharp objects and fussing at you when you only ate strawberries for dinner. And the next minute he would tell you that you are beautiful even you woke up with a bad hair day, or encourage you to be yourself even sometimes what you did was something stupid that he would yell at you later. But he did all those because he cared. He would want what best for you, always.

That kind of bond she never had. Because she'd lived on a remote island full of female warriors. There was no man.

She tried to recall the words from her mother about the man she loved, Her father.

Apparently he'd also lived a complicated life. She felt bad for frequently hating him. She knew that it wasn't fair for him to be hated by her, a daughter he never knew existed. But she did, when her mother was gone, she blamed him for not rescuing her. She hated him when she was all alone in the medical wings after injured herself so badly at training. She hated him for being a reason of her weakness. his blood in her veins made her weaker than other Amazons. She also hated him everytime she realized he was never at fault for anything. And she hated herself for blaming him with no reason. When she knew it was her own fault.

Even with all the facts, she hated him still.

Despair was about to sink her down in the bottomless pit. When Artemis came and gestured Lysandra to make room for her to sit.

She wanted to tell her mentor to sod off and leave her be. It was after all, her birthday and she deserved sometimes without hearing Artemis's voice resonated in her head, telling her to do another drill. But she was too tired. Whatever it was that Artemis wanted, Artemis always got it. So why would she waste time and energy now? Lysandra just clicked her tongue and slid to her side, letting the redhead settled next to her.

But moments passed and Artemis still said nothing, she just sat there looking out to dark color of the ocean. Instead Lysandra was the one who couldn't stand itchy urge to know what Artemis was thinking. So she spoke.

"….So?"

"So what?" Her voice was clearly annoyed, Lysandra scowl at her tone. She should be one who was annoyed! She was the one Artemis interrupted her self-drowning-in-sorrow time. Lysandra clicked her tongue again.

"What do you want, Artemis?"

"Why would I want anything? Couldn't it possibly be that I just want to enjoy the stars and the night wind and maybe my favorite student?"

Lysandra snorted at her words. "Artemis, are you drunk?" Intoxication was probably the only possibility, Lysandra remembered how Artemis would started singing some weird song about how to decapitate monsters after many jars of wine were drained at Dionysus Festival. The thought made her chuckle a bit. It was funny to think of Artemis's horrid expression the next day when she found out what had happened.

"Shut up, brat….and just enjoy the moment…..it's been a long day" Artemis elbowed her lightly after she saw Lysandra's expression before stretched her arms before let it sat next to her body as she leaned back.

And It was indeed a long day. They started morning train early, Lysandra went through group session twice, just to amused herself when she blindfold the second time. Knocking people with her fists, feet, knees and elbows. She also bruised herself several places because of that. They skipped the afternoon study in Athena temple and Lysandra sparred with Epione instead. Though Epione reluctantly did it while fussing about the bruises on her face. After that she went to archery range, practice her aim for few hours. She went to her mother temple after dinner, Spent hours, just sat next to the foot of her stone before came here.

But curiosity killed the cat they say.

"Come on, Artemis…..it's not like you to be wasting time sitting at a cliff and looking at the stars and sea. I've known you for years….."

"Tsk!" It was Artemis who clicked her tongue this time as she tosses something in her strawberries basket, it was wrapped in maroon cloth. Lysandra looked down and then looked back up at the redhead amazon who pretend to look out in the dark sea again.

Lysandra unwrapped the object in her lap, revealing the slick surface and narrow blade, the point was needle like sharp. The hilt was decorated with several small red jewels. It gleamed in the moonlight as she held it in her hand. It was light as she swung and twirled it in her hand.

Lysandra looked back at her teacher. "Artemis…..are you giving me a gift?…." She must be intoxicated.

Her mentor didn't answer. So she pressed harder. "Why?"

"Because, Princess…." Artemis turned, her green eyes was gleaming like jade. "…someday you will need it to protect yourself"

"You know that I know hand-to-hand fighting, you taught me yourself"

"This is not just a dagger, kid. It's made of Adamant. It will cut through anything even though the gods' skins" Artemis quibbled.

"And why would I need something like that? I can't even get out of this forsaken island…."

"Because, brat…..you have a habit of pissing people off, including the gods"

"True"

And they both laughed. Lysandra felt warm and safe when she gripped the hilt of that dagger. And when she felt Artemis's body shook from laughter. She knew Artemis always cared for her, in a weird way but still.

Maybe she didn't need a man for a father, Maybe Artemis was more of a Father to her than anyone ever could

* * *

So when she saw what went on two years later, in her mother's temple. She felt those feelings were ripped away from her. Her heart pounded so hard she felt it might have slammed against her ribcages.

Two people that she felt ever cared for her, her entire life. Were there, one battered and bloodily laid on the floor. Another was just as bad, with sacred object that wasn't supposed to be there in her hand, it glowed guiltily in the darkness around them.

"….Artemis?...What have you done?!"

Lysandra shouted and ran to Selia's unmoving body that laying by the foot of her mother statue. The blood was gushing from her head wound. She was unconscious. Something inside her ticked, even with she injured herself all the time but she had never seen so much blood. It stained her hands and her clothes but she didn't care...

"We don't have time for this. You must leave now!" The redhead grabbed Lysandra's arm and yanked her away from Selia, her expression was serious, almost panic. The young princess shoved her off.

"I am not going anywhere with you!" She screamed as she hooked Selia's arm over her shoulder and tried to help her up. All of the sudden, Selia stirred.

"Princess….what?" The brown hair amazon blinked for a few minutes, she looked like she was in a daze until she saw Artemis who stood nearby with horrid expression.

"….. YOU!" Selia shouted at Artemis as she tried to not to stagger. She pointed angrily at the redhead "You traitor! You are the thief!"

"What?!"

And then Lysandra saw everything in slow motion, Selia threw herself at Artemis. Their limps tangled as both tried to fend for themselves. The crystal orb dropped from her hand on the marble floor before rolling to Lysandra's feet who was still shocked and stood frozen.

"Princess! Take the crystal and go! GO NOW! I WILL HOLD HER OFF! GO!"

Lysandra snapped her mind out of the daze when she heard Selia's screamed, she grabbed the crystal orb, it warmed up in her hand and for the third time that night, she ran without looking back.

* * *

Her heart pounded hard as she ran as fast as she could, ignoring the aching in her legs. She didn't know where to go but she just ran. She didn't want to stop, she had this feeling that if she did, all her emotions would burst out of her.

Artemis? Her teacher?

Why would Artemis wanted the feather of Hermes? Why did she attack Selia?

Feather of Hermes had ability to open the gate. There was only one gate which supposedly sealed off and heavily guarded. The gate to Underworld!

But why would Artemis want to open it?

Why? Why? Why?

Lysandra just didn't know she could really handle all the answers. But her mind was still racing in thought as well as her legs still moving. She needed to go somewhere and let someone know about this. In any case that Selia…

No! Even though Artemis was much stronger than her, But Selia was also a royal guard she should be able to hold her fort. In the mean time she needed t.…

"Princess!"

Familiar voice of Epione called her out before the feeling of a pair hands were pressed to her bare forearms, stopping her, Epione who was in her guard armors, her sword and daggers dangling from her belt, holding her helmet between her arm. Her hands were warm and suddenly Lysandra felt safe and secured again. But she was out of breath from running, Lysandra didn't even know where she was until she blinked and looked around herself, she almost reached the hallway before the queen's private chamber.

"Epione?" She said in a daze voice.

"Great Gaia! Are you hurt?!" Honey color eyes of Epione bore down on her, making her to look back at herself. Her chiton was torn in several places, and blood stains on it. She was still clutching the crystal orb. Lysandra instinctively hid it behind her. Not that Epione was in the mind to notice what was in her hand, she was fussing over the blood on Lysandra.

"It's not mine….It's Selia's" She said as if she was in a trance of thoughts. She still wasn't sure what just happened.

"…..Selia's?"

Epione's voice seemed to fade into the background as her hands touched her cheeks tenderly. Lysandra almost forgot the fight they just had not long ago. She almost didn't mind the warmness that patted her caringly, she knew it then wouldn't be fair to Epione after this, when all Lysandra did now was leading her to think it was alright to touch her that way, to show her that love. But Lysandra didn't care then. She just wanted - needed those touches right now. To reassured her, there was a safe place somewhere still, that she could still count on someone. And she would take what she could get.

And it worked, her mind, even though still racing as the same pace of her heart beats. But it was easier for Lysandra to concentrate now. And something wasn't right in the picture.

Selia's blood.  
Selia was hurted by Artemis.  
Artemis tried to steal Feather of Hermes.  
Feather of Hermes had ability to open any gates and dimensions.  
It just didn't make any sense. She knew something was missing. But what was it?

"Princess!...By the gods are you listening to me?" Epione's voice caught her back. but she didn't know what Epione was saying. she could only even her breathing and reply.

"…I, I'm good. I am not hurt but I need to speak to the queen….." Lysandra gripped the crystal ball harder in her palm. There was something, didn't make sense in all of these. And whatever it was, the Queen should know what was going on. She was the one who knew both Selia and Artemis best. Not that Lysandra wanted to run to her for help but this was not the time to be insolent about things. The sacred item was stolen, someone….that might be her mentor was trying to open some kind of gate, possibly gate to underworld. And this was not a small matter.

Lysandra needed to believe in her instinct. And deep in her soul she believed that Artemis was not a thief.

"Oh, no….that won't be necessary….." The voice called out made both of them turned.

Selia stepped casually into hallway. Her chiton was stained red with blood, so as her hands. The wound on her head seem to stop bleeding but the gash was still opened. There're bruises on her face. And several cuts on her skin. Her face was painted with menace expression. She said coolly "…..I've taken care of the nuisance…..now back to my main business..."

"Selia, what did you do to Artemis?" Lysandra's heart sank. when she notice the amount of blood in Selia's hand.

"Somewhere nice and quiet..." Her smiled twisted as she answered.

"Selia! Are y…!"

But Epione didn't have a chance to finish. Selia waved her hand and with unseen forces, both her and Lysandra was hit hard in the guts. Sent them flying across the hall, slammed into the wall. Lysandra felt her head banged against the hard surface. And her body crashed down hard. The crystal ball flew out of her hand. In the corner of her eyes she saw Epione hit the wall before slump to the ground. She tasted blood in her mouth and vision starting to turn red from the blood that seeped from her gash. Lysandra tried to get back on her feet but she felt like her whole body was broken and she couldn't move. Her breath caught when she saw the blood stained sandals in her view. Before feeling the grab at the back of her neck, lifting her whole body from the floor. Selia's dark eyes bored down into her blue ones. She twisted her lips into a smile. Before slammed her fist to Lysandra's face. Her ears rang as an impact and she saw stars.

"I always wanted to do that….and more" Selia said before shoved Lysandra's face to the nearest wall, her body pressed to Lysandra's back. She whispered. "You have no idea how much I hate your whining about your pathetic little life…."

"….Selia…why…..?" Her heart cracked as the same as her body. She didn't know which one hurt more. The tear that she never shed for years formed behind her eyes.

"…..Because I hate you and your face…..yes your pretty face that look just like your mother….I hate her too by the way" Selia hissed in her ears. "And I stuck on this pathetic island as a stupid Amazon for years. YEARS! ... Because the gods wanted to keep your sorry life safer. As if they could do it!" She smashed Lysandra's face into the wall again. the marble started to crack from the impact "…And you were just….so stubborn! Too stubborn to die! Ugh! I even poked those angry Amazons to assault you, pushed you off into a stupid cave and you still live!...why can't you just die? huh? And my job will be MUCH easier…So I don't have to pretend to pampered a brat like you….."

"….S….elia…."

Lysandra tried to form the words out of her but her throat wouldn't let her as the realization hit her there. It assaulted her with such force, it pained her more than her physical body.

All those times, it was Selia, she was the one who gave the Amazons the idea of hatred. She was the one who pushed her into that stupid hole. And Lysandra bet there were probably more of those near-death incidents in her life, caused by Selia.

And those misfortunes she had ran in….She'd blamed the Fates. She was deadly wrong.

Selia'd hated her. Those words of comfort were lies she told as if it was just a breeze from her mouth.

And she almost believed Selia about Artemis, Almost. But it was probably too late now.

Artemis….was probably…..

"Stop calling me that stupid name! ugh…" She screamed in her ear and brought her back a little. She slammed Lysandra face to the wall again. Pain erupted in her as her hand tried to pry Selia's grab off but her consciousness was slipping away.

"…My name is Eris, you pathetic mortal…"

Another hit against the hard wall. Lysandra heard her skull cracked and the blackness consumed her whole.

* * *

Lysandra blinked when she opened her eyes. It wasn't night, instead the sun shone down on her. She wasn't in the hallway near the queen's quarter. But on the ledge of her favorite cliff. Looking down at the strong waves hitting the sharp rocks down below. There was no pain, just the calmness that the air brought her.

She felt at ease as she inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh scent of the sea.

"I never thought you would like this kind of place"

The familiar voice came from beside her, Lysandra turned so quick she almost slipped off the ledge.

"…mother?"

Her mother stood there, smiling at her.

"Why yes, my love….." She said with a kind smile before put her arm around her shoulder. The golden tiara gleamed in the sun on her forehead, so as a pair of silver bracelets on her wrists. She was in a red bustier, across her chest was golden eagle chest plate and her star-spangled super short bottom revealed her long legs in a red and white boots. Lysandra remembered this outfit. It was _Wonder Woman's._

Then Lysandra remembered.

She remembered running with Hermes's feather in her hand from Artemis and Selia, then Selia showed up tossed her and Epione around before telling her, she had tried countless time to kill Lysandra, that she'd hated her so, that all her kind words were lies and Selia wasn't her name. it was Eris…. Familiar name…but something just blocked her mind from remember it.

"Am I dead?...or something…?" Lysandra asked, her voice trailed off before ending the sentence.

"Oh, no baby. You are not…." She smiled warmly. Lysandra stared at her.

"Am I dreaming then?" Even if it was, Lysandra didn't care then….Her mother was there. Her touch was warm, it felt so real to her.

"Not quite….." Her mother still smiled warmly. She looked just like eleven years ago, just like that last day without the tears on her beautiful face. Her blue eyes were bright and comforting. Her touch was warm. Lysandra just stood there, didn't know that to do.

"…we don't have much time…" She moved behind Lysandra, who still stood by the edge of the cliff. The wind patted her skin. If this was a dream, it was too real. Her heart cringed, she couldn't take it.

"…mother, I….." She tried to speak but Diana hushed her.

"It's ok, my little star. I know….that you are strong. You will be alright. Don't let heartbreaks cloud you, Everything has beginning and the end…."

"But mother…..I can't. All of the things that happened today….The queen…"

"_Grandmother_…" Diana corrected.

"Fine! Grandmother….and Epione then Selia, now I don't even know Artemis's still alive…I just, I don't know anything is real anymore. How can I believe in anything when I cannot trust in something or someone at all?"

"You can, My little star" She said and hugged Lysandra from behind. "When there's nothing left for you to count on ….you can trust yourself"

"But how do I know if I was right?" Lysandra argued. Diana giggled a bit by her ear as she pressed closer.

"Maybe you might be wrong but it's ok, everyone makes mistakes and we learns from them"

Her mother's body was warm, so as her gentle voice. She missed these, all of these. She missed her so much. Her eyes ached from holding the tears, she didn't want to cry now. Not in front of her mother, after all these years. Even this was just a dream. She never dreamed of her. She wished she could but she never did. Only memories but never a dream.

She lifted her hand up to touch her mother's arm that draped around her. It felt real. And she didn't care if all of this was just something in her head. She didn't want it to end. Not yet.

"…Don't be silly, my little star….of course you must head back soon. I'm just here to remind you to Not to lose your way…." She said as if she read her mind. Lysandra gripped her arm harder.

"Mother….please stay with me, I…..I can't…." She didn't know if she could let go again, she didn't want to. Her heart was tearing up.

"Yes, sweetheart. You can. You must" Her mother released her and turned Lysandra's body around to face her. Their blue eyes met. She brushed the hair out of Lysandra's face with a smile "…you look so much like your father….." her face sadden then. Her hands moved to her shoulder and pulled Lysandra out within her arm length.

"…My little star. Remember, Do not be afraid…."

And with a hard push, Lysandra fell backward off the high cliff, arms spread out trying to reach for her mother, eyes widen in shock.

She fell...

And fell...

And fell...into nothingness.

The last thing she saw was her mother, smiling through tears.

* * *

This time when Lysandra woke from a scream she knew wasn't her own, she was in darkness. There was no sun and wind to comfort her. Her mother was gone, again.

Her vision blurred, it was the smell that brought the attention to her. She remembered it well. That rotten smell of souls that reeked out from the forbidden gate of Underworld. She was here only once before with Artemis when she was twelve. Her mentor had showed her that The Amazons was tasked to guard the Door to Hades as atonement from wars. Also the reason why her mother was exiled the first time. Because she bought men on the island, to help the amazons. Not far from the Gate, sat the feather of Hermes on a broken ruin. It glowed vividly.

The pain awaited for her when she stirred. Her whole body screamed right back when she tried to move even slightly. Her head throbbed with pain and she could feel her mouth split and swollen, tasting of her own blood. She knew her cheek was pressed to the floor. Her vision came to focus slowly, seeing those blood stained sandals right front of her.

"Oh! The Princess decided to wake from her beauty sleep!" Familiar voiced called and she felt a hand around the back of her neck and a minute later she was yanked up from the floor. Her body limped away as she was tossed to sit on her knees. Same hand yanked her hair back and Selia…..or whatever her name was's face came into view. Her throat hurt when she tried to speak so she glared at the woman instead.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk…..such manners. But to be expected from a mongrel….Don't you agree, Artemis?" Lysandra's mind caught up at her words before her eyes tried to search for her teacher.

Artemis was slumped on the floor, bloody and battered. There were cuts on her face, on her arms and her legs. Her hand was pressed to her torso, trying to stop the blood from gushing out. Her breathing wasn't very strong.

Not far from her, Epione. Sprawled on her back, her weapons was nowhere to be found, She was trying to get up though not as bad as Artemis, Lysandra could see her face was cut several places. She wanted to shout and asked them if they were alright but in her situation at the moment, she knew that she was probably in worse shape than both of them, considering that she could not even get up on her own.

But, Artemis and Epione were both alive.

"You need to kneel in the presence of Goddess like me you mutt!" She spat at Lysandra before kicked her in the torso. Lysandra tried not to let her cry from the pain went out to satisfy her assaulter.

_Goddess?_ She tried to collected her thought with her brain though the pain.

Eris?...a Goddess….She heard this before from her lesson, about the judgment of Paris, the fall of Greeks and the rise of Romans…the golden Apple of Discord…

"Hah! Finally know who I am, you mongrel?" The gripped in her hair tightened. Lysandra flashed her a fierce glare.

"Why….?" Lysandra hissed. That was all she could manage. Her body still need time to heal, she needed to prolong it.

"…Because, The time for revolution has come. And my Lord King shall rule this mortal plane but before that we need to get him out of the pit hole first…" The goddess said with a twisted smile. Lysandra still didn't get what she said. Eris seemed to notice so she continued "Well, to enlighten you before I kill you….let me tell you a story….it began long long time ago when Troy fell to its destruction….And let me tell you that was my brilliant handiwork!...only take an apple!"

Eris tossed her backward and Lysandra hit the hard ground. She didn't seem to pay no mind as she continue talking

"Those dumb Olympians always blamed each other and civil wars between them was almost the only way to distract them from seeing what I was trying to do. My lord king almost be able to get out that time, But Athena took notice so she and Hades took a temporary truce and decided the gate to Tartarus need to be revision…ugh now instead of one. I have to break seven seals before get to my lord!" Her voice seemed annoyed. She paced back and forth in front of the Gate.

Lysandra gritted her teeth. Remembering the time when she climbed the hole with broken leg. _I will not fear pain. _She told herself. If she wanted to survive she needed her body to move.

_I will not fear pain._ She screamed in her mind.

_I will not fear pain!_ She tried to move first from her finger. Then her arms. Then her legs. The pain exploded in her body. She almost cried but she kept telling herself. _I will not fear pain._

_Move. You must get up._ She hissed as she looked over to Eris who still talking. Ignoring the pain, Lysandra tried hard to crawl over to Artemis who still slump on the floor. At the same time Epione did the same.

"…..I'd probably succeed if Hades got out from Tartarus but your stupid mother and her friends shut him back! Ugh! Do you know how much work I have to put in that? Teaching Felix Faust and got him the Amulet of Medusa… then your mother decided to miss home and came back!...What a annoying bunch of mortal freaks!…."

"…..Lysandra…are you alright?" Epione whispered when both succeeded to get to Artemis. Lysandra nodded, tried not to pant hard.

"It will take a little time to heal my body but it is better now than when I woke up" She grunted quietly as she answered.

"Princess…." Artemis called. She seemed to be in worse shape from before, her wound was deep and still gushing blood. "Do you still have that dagger I gave you?..."

Lysandra blinked and moved her hand to her right thigh. Where she always strapped Artemis's gift there. It never left her side, ever. Only time was when she bathed. When her finger touched the leather sheath, Lysandra suddenly felt flush of energy inside her. Her pain seemed to be lessened and her vision became much clearer. She knew that this dagger, didn't have any mystical power to do those to her body but it did her mentally. She didn't seem to feel helpless anymore. It secured the knowledge that she was be able to fight. Now, she only needed her body to be able to move and use it.

Lysandra met Artemis's green eyes and nodded.

"….good. You need to get out of here…"

Lysandra scowled at Artemis's words. "No. _We_ need to get out of here"

"No, Princess.….The feather is only good for one person. And Eris is not just a second rate goddess, she is the goddess of Discord, daughter of Ares. Only three of us won't be able to defeat her…we need reinforcements" Artemis said in a low voice, eyeing Eris who was now examining the crystal orb without touching it.

"But the amazons hated me! They won't listen to me" Lysandra forced herself not to scream at the remarks. "And I thought that feather was supposed to be for opening the gate?"

"Just go to the queen, she'll know. And it's a false information in case something like this happened…." Artemis hissed under her breathe "….Epione and I will distract her, one of us will get that crystal for you. Your dagger is the only thing that could cut through it…..When it breaks, just think of the queen's chamber…." She pulsed and tried to sit up and turned to Epione "…Epione, do you think you can do this?..."

Epione's honey color eyes looked at Lysandra's blue ones. Holding the gaze as she answered "….Yes, Artemis…"

"You do know what this mean, don't you?" Artemis asked again. Epione didn't look at her, instead still locked her eyes with Lysandra. Something flickered in those ember eyes.

When she broke the eye contact with the young princess, Epione replied with raspy voice "…..Yes…."

"What are you two talking about?" Lysandra frowned. "And I'm not even agreeing to any of this yet"

"We don't need your approval, Princess…." Artemis said without looking at her, she eyed the goddess who didn't pay any mind to them. Her green eyes shone like emerald flame. "…And believe it or not you are not the only one who can piss off the gods…."

She turned to Epione "Ready?"

Lysandra opened her mouth. But as soon as Epione nodded her head in reply. Artemis took a deep breath and struggle to her feet with help of Epione, and she shouted loudly to the goddess.

"You don't know how that thing work, do you?"

Eris narrowed her dark eyes at them. "…..And you do?"

"Of course, I am its keeper for years" The redhead amazon answered, Lysandra noticed the knives in Artemis's hand as she passed one to Epione behind their backs while talking to Eris. "…..Before I told you how, I just wanted to know….Who is your Lord King?"

Lysandra's eyes widen at her question. Why would Artemis want to know that know? Is it just a distraction strategy? She didn't think Eris would be that _stupid_ to actually answer. But Lysandra watched the goddess carefully as her face twisted into a smile.

"…..who else would that be?….The eldest King of the god" _Oh….maybe she was._

"…..Kronus….." Artemis hissed grudgingly.

"Now, tell me how do I open the gate to Tartarus?…." Eris eyes Artemis dangerously.

The redhead Amazon chuckled, her body shook a little. She nodded at Epione before answered "…..Like this!"

And Both Artemis and Epione hurled themselves into the goddess who tumbled backward in surprised. She screamed as the knife in Artemis's hand pierced into the flesh of her palm while Epione grabbed the crystal ball and shout to Lysandra "Princess, catch!"

And she caught it. The orb illuminated brighter in her hand. Lysandra bit her lip as she put the crystal on the ground in front of her and unsheathed dagger. But something stopped her from doing it she had a bad feeling about all of this

"You trickster whores!" Eris's scream pierced though the air. She wailed as Epione stabbed her knife into her other hand, now both of them were pinned on the ground.

"I thought you are the trickster here….Even you are a goddess, but you took a mortal form to stay on this island undetected…. Now you shall join us in a club of mortal pain, you bitch!" Artemis laughed in her face as her and Epione pinned her struggling body down.

"I WILL KILL YOU! HOW DARE YOU POMPOUS LITTLE SHIT!"

"LYSANDRA! DO IT NOW!" Artemis shouted back to her, who still hesitated. The princess held the dagger in her hand. "DO IT NOW OR WE ALL DIE!"

"YOU MONGREL WILL PAY FOR THIS! I WILL RIP YOU TO SHRED!"

"LYSANDRA! _NOW!_"

With that, Lysandra stabbed the crystal as hard as her broken body would let her. The sharp point penetrated the stone with an impossible swift motion. It cracked opened with a bursting light. Lysandra concentrated the picture of the queen's chamber in her racing mind. The energy that combusted out of the crystal poured out and evolved around her body. The single glowing feather started to dissolve. Her skin started to tingle in that bright light.

She gasped as her body started to glow brighter when the feather dissolved completely. She knew right then, her destination won't be the queen's chamber as Artemis had told her. "..wha..? WHAT HAPPENING?!"

"You see, my lady…." Artemis jeered. "…the feather was only given to the Amazons for only one purpose. It won't open any gate for you…..it's only to send the princess to a place she could fulfill her destiny!"

"LIES! I ASKED HERMES HIMSELF, YOU LYING TRICKS!" Eris screamed back to Artemis.

"Then you were lied to, Eris!...this must be karma…..!" Artemis laughed. As she turned to Epione. "Epione, it's been an honor serving with you….."

"Likewise, Captain…." She said, struggled to give Artemis a smile. Before turning to Lysandra whose body started to glowed in white light. "Princess!...I told you I could die for you!"

"NO! you are not going to die Epione! What's happening to me?!" Lysandra screamed when she saw the black hole opened behind her and started sucking her whole illuminated body into it. "…..ARTEMIS!..."

"I CAN STILL GO BACK TO MY GOD FORM AND I SHALL RIP YOU TO SHRED! YOU AMAZON TRICKS!" Eris sneered still trying to get off from under both Amazons.

"Princess! Close your eyes! DO IT NOW!" Artemis shouted.

"DIE YOU MORTAL BITCHES!"

And she instinctively did. As soon as they shut tight, Lysandra heard the screams from both Artemis and Epione. She could hear her last words.

"AT LEAST I SHALL DIE AS AN AMAZON!"

"ARTEMIS NOOOOO!" Lysandra screamed as her whole body was sucked into the portal. Her eyes still shut tight as she enter. A moment later, the only thing she could hear was her own scream. But Artemis's and Epione's wail of pain was still resonated in her ears.

* * *

Lysandra could feel her body was tossed harshly on the ground as her back connected to the hard surface. The impact caused her pains to erupted again. She was sure more bones in her body were probably broken. And the gash on her head started to bleed. Her mind was fading again….

She forced eyes to open as she laid on her back. The sky was dark, there were no stars. The smell of rotten food assaulted her sense. She didn't know where she was but she knew she was no longer on Themyscira….

She escaped. With the lives of two people she cared about as sacrifices.

Lysandra felt the tears poured out from her eyes. The dam she built for years to retain all her unshed tears broke. She didn't care anymore. She felt so tired….

Artemis was dead. Epione was dead. Selia was a treacherous liar who had been trying to kill her….

She was all alone, _again_.

Lysandra sobbed silently, suddenly realizing how exhausted she was. Her conscious was slipping….

_When there's nothing left for you to count on …..trust yourself…._

Her mother words echoed in her mind. But she didn't acknowledged them then. Lysandra weeped until her body was about to give out, when the dark figure appeared into her view.

And she heard the voice, _male_ voice said.

"Hello, Angel…"

But her conscious betrayed her as it slipped away and the darkness devoured her whole.

* * *

It wasn't a busy night in Gotham city. There was no major Arkham breakout, no major burglary, no one tried to blow up Gotham, even the streets were quiet. The only major thing Batman and Robin did was stopping the drug shipment at the shipyard.

Batman didn't like it. He had gut feeling that something was waiting out there tonight. Something very horrible, awaited in the darkness of the night, preparing to devour the city. In one big swallow. So when the Oracle contacted him through the commlink in his ear about unauthorized teleporting right in the middle of crime alley. He almost shouted at Robin to take care of the rest and wait for Gordon's arrival. Before leaping into his Batmobile.

"Batman….I sent coordinate to your Batmobile…" Oracle's voice stopped when he got in the vehicle. "….Batman….Maybe you should send Nightwing to check this one out instead…"

"Why?" His voice was harsh as he turned on the engine.

"…it's in _that_ alley…"

"I'm on my way. Batman Out."

With that the let the black vehicle leaped into the street.

* * *

He didn't like these gut feelings he had all night, it got even stronger when he stepped into that dark and dinky alley. He hated this place, for it hold the reason of his lost. The place where the Batman was born. That place where he wished never existed in his memories.

But it did, and he was the one who stopped the demolition those years ago, as Bruce Wayne. As though he wanted to preserved those memory, even he didn't want to. Just for Every year he could revisit the site. And it would remind him the purpose of his being.

The smell of rotten garbage mixed with Marijuana stung his nose. It would probably from those drug addicts who just left the alley. Even though it was dark but with his night vision lenses he could see there was no one there. But something caught his eyes.

He stepped closer to the puddle in the middle of the street, switching off his night vision to regular lenses when he crotched down and touched the dark liquid on the ground. The rusty, irony smell dedicated that it was blood.

Batman raised one of his brow under the cowl. It might just be animal blood, but if it were, Human's, whoever laid there in that big of a blood pool, he didn't think would be alive for long from that much of blood lose.

He clicked his commlink "Batman to Oracle"

Oracle's voice boomed in his ear "This is Oracle…did you find anything?"

"No….just the pool of blood, lots of blood…."

* * *

**PS :: **Yep, and Just like that, I end the chapter. *ducks shoes*

It was a very hard chapter to write for lots of reasons, first there're many actions! *gasps* and many Emotion monologues from Lysandra, as she(from last chapter) rode roller coaster from fighting with the Queen, got love declaration from Epione, then saw Artemis seemingly beat Selia unconscious. Then with all those combined with what happened to her this chapter. I feel really bad for what I have to put her through *sniffs*

But finally! Lysandra is Out of Paradise Island! And, I will miss writing Artemis ;A; she was my hero….*sobs* Also I base Eris's origin from the comics(not from new 52) that she was daughter of Ares instead of Zeus(like in Mythology)

So next chapter will be in multiple point of views now, Not just Lysandra's. Not sure what I got myself into. It will be post around Wednesday since my work schedule had changed. So who's the mysterious guy Lysandra saw before she passed out? And will Batman found his daughter? Until the next chapter!

But don't forget to Read and Review…you guys broke my heart as chapter without reviewing ;A; So I can only assume that you don't like it. *double sobs*


	9. 8 Only A Dream

**Disclaimers ::** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N ::** Still Un-Beta, Sorry for the late update. My work schedule changed drastically and my health was not really up to it. But here it is, I finally finished it. *tears of joy* As you can see I almost ripped off JL Episode title. LOL but I promise that it was nothing like that Episode!

* * *

**Chapter 8 :: Only a dream**

_It's a dream_  
_Only a dream_  
_And it's fading now_  
_Fading away_  
_It's only a dream_  
_Just a memory without anywhere to stay_  
**- Neil Young, It's a dream.  
**  
He didn't often dream of Diana.

But not until six years after she had left. Then, there she was. In his dream, smiling sweetly like she'd never left.

They were always in flower garden, sat on the bench under the sun. She would be in her Grecian dress that fell to her ankles, with shiny raven hair flowed down pass her shoulder. With that familiar smile on her beautiful face. Her blue eyes were as bright as the sky itself.

The first time he dreamed of her. She was still as bright as the sun and smiling at him without any words. But he was still mad at her for leaving, and even after he tried to look for her, he could never find Paradise Island again. As though it vanished from the face of earth with Diana.

So frustration rose within him the first time he saw her. He wanted to yell and tell her to get lost but when he saw her radiance smile, he froze. And let Diana pulled him to sit with her. They didn't speak. Just sat there together, without exchanging words.

And he was ok with that. It was enough for him then. The anger he had, melted away when he woke the next day. But the night after Diana didn't come back.

And she didn't show in his dream again for a few years, no matter how much he wished it. Then the second time was after he adopted Dick. And the kid found out about his night activities and insisting to help. Diana came to him. She sat with him again, without words from her lips but Bruce started talking on his own.

"I just want to help him….to do the right thing, not to end up like me…." He said. Diana nodded and patted him in the back, comforting him with her serene presence. She didn't talk, still. And then again, she didn't came back the next night or many nights after that.

The third time was after Selina left him, again. Guilt swelled up inside him when he closed his eyes and saw the familiar scenery and Diana who wait for him on their bench. The joy of seeing her was mixed with guilt for he sought comfort from her when his another lover had just left. But Diana's smile soothed his aching heart. All his worries were pushed aside as she pulled him down to put his head on her lap. Stroking his hair gently as if to tell him, he would be alright. And that he was forgiven.

She didn't visit him again for many years after that. Even with a lot of many bad things happened and he wanted, he needed Diana to be there but she never came to him in his dream. Not when Dick was beaten up so badly he technically fired the kid from being Robin to protect him, or when Barbara was shot and became paralyzed and had to stop being a batgirl. Those times he felt responsible for their misfortunes. Or even when he finally adopted Tim. And let him become the next Robin.

He would go straight to bed, in hope to find Diana waited there in his dream smiling at him and giving him those gentle touches to comfort him.

But Diana never came.

So after many years he stopped waiting. He was starting to get by without needing Diana. Then 17 years after the day she left him….she visited him again in his dream, and this time, for the first time in 17 years. Diana spoke.

"Hello, Bruce" She said with a smile. Her voice was still sweet like honey. Still looking just like the last time he saw her. But this time she was in Wonder Woman attire. Her golden tiara and silver bracelets gleamed in the light. There were still in that garden, surrounding by flowers and bathing in the sunlight. But Diana was standing then.

He opened his mouth to speak, to ask her why she was here after all these years. After leaving him the second time, in his dream. But there was no voice coming from him. He couldn't speak.

"Sorry, Bruce but I don't have much time…." Diana walked over to him and stood in front of him and reached out to touch his cheek. Her hand was warm, even after all these years her touch was still as warm and gentle all the same, it almost melt those reinforcement wall he built around to cage his own heart. She looked at him with those same blue eyes, her voice was rushing, like when fought alongside in battle. "…..She's here and she's hurt….you must find her before they get to her…."

He wanted to ask who was it she was talking about but he still couldn't speak.

Her blue eyes met his as if they were searching all the secret inside him "….Promise me to be kind to each other, she's still young and very impulsive. Remind me of you a little…" She pulsed and smiled.

"And Bruce, Remember that I'll always love you…."

That was the last thing before his eyes snapped open. The super computer hummed a low noise and he realized that he just fell asleep while reviewing the night activities in the Bat cave and still in his Bat suit. Though the cowl was left abandon on his right side of the large keyboard. He blinked to shake the sleepiness out of him and the smell of coffee hit his sense. Alfred was walking down the stairs with it.

"Good morning, Master Bruce…." The older gentleman said when he reached where he sat.

"Good morning, Alfred…." He said, rubbing his eyes while he waited for the butler to pour him some coffee.

"May I suggest moving your bed down here if you are going to be sleeping here, sir?" He said as he handed out the coffee.

Bruce didn't answer, instead sipping his caffeine silently as he looked up to the screen. It showed the result from the blood sample he got from the alley a week ago. After he found that it was human blood. He ran it to the all criminal databases but there was still no match. So he started running it through the rest of other databases he had. Meta-human one. There was still no match.

"Still looking for the donor of that blood, Master Bruce?"

"Maybe it was nothing. This person either never have a record before or never commit any crime" He said, sipping more of his coffee. "….but someone lost that much blood, probably couldn't survive…"

"You can't save everyone, Master Bruce…. " His old butler said before walked away to upstairs to start his morning chores. Tim would be up soon for school and his Bruce Wayne routine was going to start by visiting his company.

Reminding himself not to look forward to the next time he slept, because he knew Diana wouldn't be back. And he was just thinking crazy in his own mind.

With that, Bruce entered the lock codes and left the bat cave to face another day.

* * *

Lysandra knew she was dreaming when she opened her eyes.

There was no pain. She was whole and not battered or broken. There was not bruises or cuts on her skin. Her ivory cloth was clean, her hair was braided tightly. Her gold griddle and silver bracelets twinkled under the shining light.

Was she dead? Was she ready to face the three judges of Underworld? Was this the end of her short life? An end without fulfilling what she set out to do? With failure and guilt. But somehow, Lysandra knew wherever she was right then, this place was far from the land of the dead.

So another explanation she could think of that she was only dreaming.

She stood by ledge of her favorite cliff again. Arms spread as if she would soar out to the sky, inhaling familiar scent of the sea. The wind comforted her as it pat her skin like it was telling her everything would be alright, and she listened to it, those lullabies of the summer breeze. She didn't know how long she stood there. She never wanted it to end.

But nothing ever went her ways it seemed…

As soon as she recalled the events in her head, the sun and warm breeze dissolved into blackness, leaving her nothing but pitch darkness. Her heart sank, she felt like that little girl who just lost her mother again. She looked down at the ground where she stood but could see nothing but darkness, making her too scared to move anywhere. Lysandra curled her toes inside her sandals, as if to dig her feet there, helping her stand on that unseen floor. For a long while, there was nothing but darkness surrounding her. Lysandra hugged herself.

She was alone in this darkness. Clinging on to herself and the rest of sanity she had left as recent scenes were replaying freshly in her mind. Nausea rose from the pit of her stomach but she tried to swallow it back. Nails dug into her palm hard enough to draw blood but she didn't care.  
Her six years old self was back. That girl who screamed and cried and sobbed until there was nothing left inside. That little girl who scared out of her mind because her mother was gone. That girl who blamed the rest of the world and then herself.

Lysandra felt just like that girl again.

And then the voices came. First was just whisperings then it grew louder and clearer….  
_  
"….It is her fault…..because of her the princess is cursed…"_  
_  
"…..A Bastard child, she is. She'll never be a true Amazon….."_  
_  
"That little mutt was too scared to pick up a real sword…."_

Lysandra's eyes widen from it. She remembered those words crystal clear in her memories. She chewed on her lips.  
_  
"….You have no idea how much I hate your whining about your pathetic little life…." _Selia's….no Eris's voice rang in her mind but somewhat for her it echoed from all directions around her from the darkness.  
_  
"…And you were just….so stubborn! Too stubborn to die!..."_the voice continued.

"No….." She whispered as she looked around her for the source of voice, expecting to see a familiar face but none came.  
_  
"…..why can't you just die? huh? And my job will be MUCH easier…So I don't have to pretend to pamper a brat like you….."_

Lysandra shut her eyes and covered her ears but the voice didn't seem to stop, instead it grew louder around her.  
_  
"You need to get out of here…"_this time it was Artemis's voice.

"Artemis?..." Lysandra gasped.  
_  
"Because, brat…..you have a habit of pissing people off, including the gods"_ Artemis's voice continued to echoed around her.  
_  
"My dear lily…."_The next voiced called. It shook her whole body.

"No…not you too…." Lysandra covered her ears.  
_  
"How cruel can you be, Princess?"_ But Epione's voice continued to beam around her. _"I've loved you…for years…And you pretend that you do not care….."_

"It's better this way…." She heard herself repeated those words.  
_  
"…..I could die for you…."_

"I'm sorry….." She whispered. Her eyes burned from holding the tears.  
_  
"…..I could die for you…."_Epione's voice said again. Over and over.

Lysandra crotched down to ground she couldn't see, drew both of her knees up as she hugged them tight to her chest. She fisted her hands hard, nails dug into her own palms.  
_  
"…..I could die for you…."_

"…I'm sorry….." Lysandra whimpered. And let the tears took over. Gross sobbing escaped from her lips.

In this darkness, the guilt was overwhelming and the flooding of emotions soon would drown Lysandra in its bottomless pit just like eleven years ago. But she saved herself back then when she decided to train with Artemis. Determination to save her mother saved her from that darkness.

But now, even trained, she was capable to protect herself and stood her ground with anything she could think of. She still couldn't protect people who she cared for and lost them just like she lost her mother. Or was it because of her goal, in order to save her mother's life, how many did she had to lose until she got there?

Did she deserve to be saved again? Did she even want to be saved?

Lysandra didn't want to know anymore.

She closed her wet eyes and let the blackness became one with her.

* * *

As soon as Lysandra opened her eyes again. She could hear noises. She knew the pain was back but it was dull. There was numbness all over her body and she couldn't move. Her vision was still blurry so she shut her eyes back and instead, using her ears and her other senses to catch her surroundings.

She could hear repeated beeping noise, people talking in hush conversations. Lysandra also smelled the thick scent of blood and medicines that prickled her nose. Her guess was that she was in some kind of Medical area.

"…..She has several broken ribs, facial and skull fractures not to mentions the rest of her body…" A woman was the first one she caught with her ear. "I'm surprised that the lacerations on her forehead and her face are almost healed…."

"…..It's been three days and she still out cold" it was a man voice this time and it made her panic, But she felt like a fish out of water that couldn't move even she wanted to.

"Mr. Trevor, I don't know who she is but as far as I can tell, this girl's been through a great deal, even her body is heal, her mind needs resting. Thanks to you, bringing her here in time…or I'm not sure if she'd still be alive…" The woman's voice said again. The warmness in her voice remind her of Selia, that Selia before Lysandra found out that all those words were lies.

Her heart ached, and she was sure it had nothing to do with the pain in her body. Lysandra let sleep pulled her away from the reality again.

* * *

It was night this time Lysandra opened her eyes in the dream. There was no dark cloud or shining moon but thousand stars were lit across the sky. She blinked at the beautiful sight as she lay on the blanket of soft green grass. Her long black hair spread widely without her caring.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Familiar voice came from her left and Lysandra turned her head without getting up. Epione lay casually next to her, wearing a bright smile on her face.

"Yes…." Lysandra smiled back, somehow she remembered those night she sneaked out from her quarter just to see the stars with Epione instead of the recent events. She was glad that didn't happened. To accepted that this person next to her was no longer real.

She forced herself not to break from all the emotions that pumping inside her heart, to instead, smiled.

"Yes, it is…."

"You are much more beautiful that all of these when you smile….." Epione said with a grin. It made Lysandra laughed.

"That remark is kind of overuse, don't you think?"

"But the truth is always true, overuse or not….." The redhead said casually. "….I like those times when I catch you watching the stars….I always thought that in a way…those stars were gazing back at you…."

"Now, that I called exaggerated"

They laughed a little before Epione turned her face back to the starlit sky, so Lysandra did the same, Enjoying the sanctuary of silence night and the stars above them. Even this was only a dream, she didn't care.

Lysandra's heart tingle from that little happiness she felt inside.

Epione was with her. She was real and they were happy. She didn't have to think about being hit in the face or kick in the gut and she knew Epione'd never complained that she was an annoyance. She knew Epione wanted her there and even if it was unfair to Epione. She would never have to worry for she knew that Epione would always forgive her selfishness. And these were just like how they were before. And Lysandra wanted it all back.

Did she wanted these because she loved Epione? Did she ever love Epione then? Lysandra knew she did. In many ways but the same as how Epione felt for her and even she felt bad for using Epione's feelings to make she felt safe. Lysandra knew that Epione knew that too. But either of them never said anything. Because they were contented with what they had.

Even she was just dreaming.

Even it was only a dream….

"Oh, Perseus…." Epione said, calling her back from her thought as she pointed out to the vast sky. It would be hard to exactly locate the constellation with just a tip of finger but Lysandra remembered how to trace the sky for this specific group of stars well, it was after all, her most favorite. Epione's voice continued "….Remind me of what you said the first time we met, you said…."  
_  
"…..I am Perseus not Andromeda…"_They both said at the same time. When realized, they giggled. But still didn't look at each other. Epione continued "….I wondered what you meant by it for a while….but then I finally got the answer…."

"Oh?"

"…Yes, meaning you don't need anyone to rescue you like a princess, you can be the hero all on your own…."

"hmm" Lysandra mumbled with a small grin on her face. Though that time when she climbed up that stupid hole with a broken leg and gash in the back of her head. She was too exhausted to think straight. So didn't really know what she was talking about then.

"And you were right, Princess….you didn't need anyone to save you…All you have to do is save yourself…" Epione was still talking when Lysandra's thought returned.

"… it made me realized, even you'd never needed me, I still wanted to…..Maybe you probably didn't realized, I had been watching you since that day in the woods. It was strange for me to be captivated by a youngling like you. I've lived for a long time and I've seen many of beautiful women….But…" She pulsed "…But there was no one like you. You always act like a haughty brat when you are around the rest of the world, but when you think no one was looking at you, when you were alone on that cliff, you looked like a lost lamp….I've never seen anyone look so lonely. It made me feel like I want to hold you close and tell you comforting words….The more I know you, the more I knew you wouldn't need anyone….But also the more I want you…."

She pulsed again, Lysandra realized she was holding her breath as she was listening. "…And I knew, you would be the death of me…."

Her words made Lysandra turned her face back to Epione. She didn't look at her still, her honey color eyes still watching the thousand stars.

"….I'm sorry…"

Lysandra mumbled but loud enough for her companion to hear. She could feel a slight flinch from Epione. So she repeated it again "….I am sorry…"

She turned to face Lysandra then. Her brown eyes flickered like fire. It warmed her but at the same time it made Lysandra felt those eyes were burning her alive with guilt, Knowing that those eyes were no more.

"For not returning my feeling or for getting me killed?"

Lysandra almost choked from those words as she propped herself up. Their eyes met.

"Both" She answered, whispering the word out. Still locking their eyes. Hers were searching Epione's.

She didn't what she was looking for. Forgiveness? Closure? Truth? She wondered any of these were real. Or it was just something happened inside her own head. Her consciousness sought out a sense of finality? The answers to that end of chapter? What was it she was looking for in those eyes, she didn't know.

But one thing she knew. Whatever this dream state she was in, From her own guilt or just a trick in her head. It might be the only place she could say the things she would never have the chance again.

The truth.

So when Lysandra opened her mouth this time the words spilled out like someone pouring water in an already full glass, there was nothing to fill because there was no space that need filling, so it spilled all out "….I do loved you…..but maybe it was in a different way of love. But I do…. And I'm sorry….I never meant for you to die for me, like that. Both you and Artemis…."

She didn't realize she was crying until Epione lifted her hand to wipe tear drops away from her cheek and shook her head.

"….it was my choice to give my life so you could get away….So, No. It was me who had to say that I am sorry… I never want you to have to live with that burden, princess….So please, forgive me" Epione's hand that touched her face moved to her arm and pulled her to lie back down. Her wet cheek was on Epione's chest. And Epione's arms were draped over her. Warm spread as their bodies connected. Silent tear still seeped out from Lysandra's eyes. Epione stroked her hair gently and telling her she would be alright.

"….And remember me, princess. Remember _the me_that love you, for if the next time we met. Remember who I was and what I would do for you…."

Her voice was kind and she let Lysandra cried as they lay there under the thousand stars. Holding her tightly, whispering the promise to watch over her from above as Lysandra drifted away.

* * *

The first thing she hear this time was a constantly beeping sound. Then her nose picked up that thick scent of medicine again. The pain was lessened but for some reason her eyelids wouldn't lift and let her see.

"I am surprised how much her body heals in five days, remarkable….." That woman's voice again.

"But she's in a comatose, Dr. Thompkins…." And that same man replied right back.

"Mr. Trevor, It's been only five days and all her injuries are almost completely healed. For a _normal _person it would take months or maybe years to be completely healed. And I did all kind of scans to make sure there was no hemorrhage from the head trauma. I believed maybe it was her mind that was not ready to wake"

There was a long pulse before the man spoke again "…..I only hope it was not too late then, or if her mother found out, she will have my head for not getting there in time"

So he knew her mother? Lysandra thought. Curiosity was fighting her body to open her eyes so she could see these people.

Dr. Thompkins. A healer, so she probably was the one that treated her wounds. Her name didn't ring any bell from the memories.

But the man's name, Trevor.

She knew she heard it from somewhere before, probably from her mother. Maybe he was one of her special friends? Something was blocking her from remembering.

For a long while after endless battle with her body. Her curiosity lost the war and her mind swept her away into dream once again.

* * *

This time she was ready. And when she saw where she stood, in her training ground with her hair tied up in a ponytail and a staff in her hand. She knew who would come.

"Are you afraid, child?"

That familiar voiced came from behind. Lysandra turned around to be greeted by the piercing green eyes of Artemis who stood, leaning on her wooden staff.

Lysandra recalled her first day of training with Artemis. That same question her teacher asked eleven years ago. What the difference now, was that Lysandra was no longer that little girl. But the overwhelming fear was greater than when she was a child then.

"Yes" Lysandra heard herself say. Her hand gripped the long wood tight. "….Yes I am"

"What are you afraid of?"

"I don't know…." Lysandra pulsed. Artemis watched her silently like a hawk "…of my choice maybe? Of myself, putting people I cared in harm's way?..."

"People die all the time, kid. Because of you or not" Artemis's tone showed annoyance. "It's life"

"But…."

"Remember the reason why you started training?"

"Yes, to save my mother…."

"Then are you going to stop trying to save her because people die on the way?"

"No"

To her surprised Artemis didn't knock her face back from the answer. Instead, she smiled. "Good…..At least I know I did my part in your journey"

"Artemis, I'm sorr…..ow!….." Before Lysandra could finish, Artemis smacked her in the head with her staff. But it was more like a playful wack than a blow that will cause her real pain.

"That was for clawing my face years ago" Artemis eyed Lysandra who rubbed the spot that just got hit. "And don't. You are not the type to sprout apologies around, it made my skin itched…."

They both smiled at each other. Lysandra still didn't felt that sense of satisfaction. Artemis who watched her probably noticed because she spoke again.

"My duty as your educator ended. So as my life as an Amazon….." She said with steady voice. Reached her free hand to touch Lysandra's shoulder. She was still taller than the young princess. "….Sometimes, Death was just a beginning, kid…. So do not be afraid"

_Do not be afraid._ Just like her mother's words. The mantra she repeated over to herself whenever fear was great.

"I will not be afraid" She heard herself say. And Lysandra met Artemis's smile. Her hand squeezed hard on Lysandra's shoulder as a reassuring.

"Don't worry, kid. We'll meet again I am sure, maybe not in this form but I am sure we will" Artemis said. Her green eyes flickered like emerald flame "….and try not to piss off too many people, you'll need all the allies you could find for the road awaits"

"Artemis, you are asking the impossible…." Lysandra forced herself to smile a little. "….You know pissing off people is my _die hard_ habit"

"Arrogant little brat"

"Moody old hag"

And they both laughed. Lysandra's heart was finally calmer now. Something inside her settled from this short conversation with Artemis. The red head would never be warm and fuzzy but she would go straight to the heart of it. And that made Lysandra see things without taking a detour. Though it wasn't a closure she was looking for but it was enough for her to continue.

"So…..Are you ready?" Artemis asked.

"Ready for what?" Lysandra frowned at her words but Artemis only smiled.

"For this…."

A voiced called out and her dream changed in a blink of an eye. Lysandra's eyes widen at the scenery.

She was no longer in her Training ground. Instead, she was sitting at a table with two other women she never met. One with flowing blond hair and another was a brunette. Both were sipping the drink from their cups. Lysandra looked herself, she was dressed in a different way that she ever did on Themyscira. She was wearing a red t-shirt and pants. She knew what they were for she had seen and learn from her lesson about outside world. Then Lysandra looked around herself.

She was in some kind of a place called Café (again, she remembered from the lesson with Artemis). Waiters walked around with drink and food on the trays, serving or taking orders from customers. Music played softly in the background and people were having hush conversations or reading books. Their table was just by the large glass windows, Lysandra could see the rush of people, men and woman strode along on the side walk. She blinked at the sight. Was this how outside world really looked like?

"You should try this, I heard you like strawberry" The same voice said, making Lysandra turned to meet with the blond who smiled sweetly at her. She gestured to the tall glass in front of Lysandra. "It's called strawberry milkshake"

Lysandra blinked as she looked down to the glass filled with thick pink liquid. Then back to the blond woman who sat across from her. She was beautiful, her full lips curled into a smile, her blond curls shone under the light. Her eyes, they flickered and changed to different colors, Lysandra couldn't decide what color they really were. She wore a pink dress with a low-cut showing her cleavage that looked like it was made from a fine material, gold necklace and earrings caught in the light. She could see some of the men who were sitting nearby or even the waiters stole a glance from her stunning face.

Reluctantly she picked up the glass and sipped on the straw, the sweetness of the drink hit her tongue. Icy milk with a taste of strawberry assaulted her mount, Lysandra almost groaned when she swallowed it down slowly. Strawberry Milkshake, she liked this drink.

Continued to observe, she turned her attention to the brunette who sat at the same table. The smoke floated from her large cup that appeared to be half empty. She was also stunning though in the different way than the blond. For the blond radiated beauty like a sun, the brunette was more still like the moon. Cool and mysterious. There was a superior air coming from her, like she knew better than you. Her hair was trimmed short, showing her strong cheekbone in the way that framed her face perfectly. Dressing in a teal color dress that was more modest than the blond, But showing off her tone arms with its sleeveless. She didn't seem to look at Lysandra at the moment instead her attention was occupied by a small square object in her hand. Her brows frowned intensely. That was when Lysandra called a glimpse of her eye. They were grey, like a live blade.

Grey eyes.

Realization hit her in the throat, and she stopped short from sipping the sweet drink which almost choked her. She forced herself to swallow the cold drink slowly without it freezing her throat. Lysandra's blue eyes darted back and forth between the two women.

Or to be correct, Two goddesses.

The brunette with cold grey eyes was definitely Athena. The Goddess of Wisdom. For her famous steel color eyes. She remembered that whatever form the goddess took she always kept her grey eyes.

And the blond, Lysandra guessed widely from her appearances, she could only be Aphrodite.

"….Oh, so you figured it out faster than I thought" The blond goddess said with a voice laced of honey. She leaned closer to the other goddess seated next to her "Smart little thing, isn't it, this one…."

"Of course, she is. She's Diana's" Athena said without letting her eyes off the small object. Her both thumbs jabbed at it repeatedly as she spoke. "…and with that father of her. Of course it would only be natural"

This alarmed her and her body reflected with a flinch, she almost kicked its leg under the table.

Two Olympian goddesses were seated in front of her, having drinks as if they knew her for all her life. After all these times.

After she cried and begged them to return her mother, no gods ever answered her prayer. She almost became a non-believer then. But her amazon routines made her unable to. She still burn the offerings to them but she never prayed for their guidance. For she thought they had abandoned her.

Lysandra stiffed and her expression hardened.

"So, you must wonder what do we want with you…" The goddess of Love said with a smile.

"I dare not, my lady…." Lysandra lied. She wanted to screamed and yelled and told them to go to Tartarus for abandoning her mother, their champion to be cursed as a stone.

"Bad liar, this one…." Aphrodite giggled like a teenage girl. Lysandra noticed the nicely dress guy from the tabled nearby stared at her dreamily.

"Let's get to the business, Aphrodite. We do not have much time" Athena said as she finally put away her small object. Her grey eyes were on Lysandra then, watching, examining her. "I believe you knew why you were in our audience?"

"No….." Lysandra stopped short before she added "…., my lady"

"Oh but you do. You are just too angry with us to see it" Aphrodite said with a smile. Her round eyes shone playfully. It made Lysandra felt a little more uncomfortable.

"Please, enlightening my poor wit" Lysandra said. She tried to keep her face straight but her feet under the table was fidgeting when Athena's cold stare was still on her.

"It relates to your departing from Themyscira…." The grey eyes goddess said. "…..and your mother"

"My mother?..." The topic caught her interest then.

"Yes, your mother's condition to be exact" Aphrodite added.

"Do you know how to break the curse, my lady?"

"Yes" Aphrodite said. "But it is not the reason we are here…."

"This is about the traitor of Olympus…." Athena added. "Since you are out of the Island, meaning thing just got from bad to worse…."

But Lysandra didn't care then. She wanted to demand the goddesses to tell her how to break the curse on her mother. But Athena kept talking.

"… Because of Zeus's protection barrier. No one can get in or out of Paradise Island until your mother's curse was broken. The only way out was to travel by Hermes's, even the gods cannot intervene…." Her voice was similar to Artemis in some ways, it sounded demanding of her full attention. "But The keeper of it was to be used only in dire situation, which I believe it what had happened…"

Keeper of the feather. She recalled hearing Artemis said that she was one.

"Artemis, She is dead" Lysandra said dryly. "Along with my friend. Seli…..Eris killed them both as I escaped"

Both goddesses stared at her before looked at each other. Aphrodite's expression changed into somber one but not without her beauty.

"Eris, huh?….I should have known" Athena gritted her teeth. Before pull out her black object again and started jabbing it with her fingers. Lysandra started to remember that it was call a phone, a modern communicating device. She didn't know the gods use those, too.

"I thought you gods know everything" Lysandra said.

"No, not everything" Athena replied came quick. As her attention was back to her small object.

"Sometimes people conceal their thoughts, their intentions, as though we are higher beings but things still passed our attentions" Aphrodite spoke. "Sometimes, we are just too busy to listen…."

"No wonder" Lysandra almost scowled but she told herself to keep her face expressionless.

"Do not reprimand us for things that are out of our controls, child" Aphrodite warned.

"You could have save my mother. She was _your champion_"

"I did"

"By turning her into a stone?" Lysandra almost yelled but she held herself back in time.

"By that or let her be incinerated" Aphrodite said coolly as if she was talking about weather.

"…Eris is nowhere to be found…" Athena spoke as she put her phone away. "Hades also claimed that a few of his seals are being disturbed…this is worse than I thought" She turned back to Lysandra. "Did Eris say why she wanted to open the gate to Tartarus?"

"Yes…" Lysandra pulsed. Recalling the few last words exchanging from Eris and Artemis. "She said to let the eldest king out to rule to world…"

She could see Athena's grey eye flickered like a blade ready to strike its victim. She rubbed her temple.

"The prophecy….it starts fulfilling itself?..." Aphrodite said in abandon. "…and Eris? Why we never suspect this before?..."

"But she didn't succeed in opening the gate, Aphrodite. The seven seals are still intact though they were disturbed by monsters, seem like Eris is not working alone…she's been plotting these…..and now we have another problem…." Athena said. Looking straight at Lysandra.

"Me? Why am I the problem?" Lysandra raised her eyebrow.

"Because, you are now out of Paradise Island, a lot of people are going to be looking for you…and not in a good way" The goddess of wisdom said in a steady voice. When Lysandra knitted her eyebrows together at her words she continued "…you see, child. Your bloodline is…..well, complicated"

"….Or so I have been told all my life, Thank you very much"

"What Athena was trying to say, is that…." Aphrodite cut in "…..the circumstance of your birth, might bring you some trouble now that you are coming of age"

"I can protect myself"

"Child…..you were born from my blessing…" Aphrodite said.

"So are you saying I will get chase by some guys because of my look?..." Lysandra scrunched her nose. Remembering Persephone who got chased by many suitors from her pretty face thought She was a daughter of Demeter, instead of Aphrodite's. But Aphrodite laughed softly.

"No, you silly child….Well, technically there would be possible, since you are quite a beauty yourself, maybe with the right clothes and make up not that you would need it though. You are already a natural….."

Lysandra's face flushed at the comment. She wasn't sure she should be flattered or embarrassed by The goddess of Beauty. It just made her even more uncomfortable.

"Can we please go back to the topic" Athena called as though she noticed Lysandra's awkwardness. Aphrodite clicked her tongue before continued.

"Fine…." The goddess turned back to Lysandra "…..what do you know of my blessing?"

"Err…" She wanted to say nothing that she cared about but that she held herself back from pissing off the goddess or at least for now "….beside having a good look? No…"

"Well, great beauty is one of them. Aside from having perfect hair, perfect face and perfect body….you might notice already how your injuries never leave scars…."

"Wait….that was _your_ blessing?"

Anger rose from the pit of her stomach. If that was her blessing, then meaning the goddess knew of her prayers to save her mother. So they were listening.

"Yes, one of them…And no, the blessing was already within you when you were conceived, it just happened to develop at a certain moment of your life, I have no control over them after I gave my blessings….actually I don't really remembered what else my blessings were…I really didn't think about it when I did….your mother and father were just too cute together it made me giggle everytime I saw them together…" Aphrodite answered with a smile.

Lysandra felt like she just got a sucker punch from the goddess of Love.

"…anyway….Like I said, there are other blessings that will come after you wake up. I hope you use them well. And with these, it made you have abilities like some demigods….which brings us into the topic earlier" Aphrodite sipped on her drink before she spoke again "…..you might already be aware that there aren't many Demigods left nowadays. Because, monsters are still roaming the world and demigods are quite a meal to them"

"Are you saying I am in the feast menu?"

"Technically, Yes"

"I can protect myself"

"Child, We know you can, but there's more…." Athena cut in, seem like she thought letting Aphrodite handling the talk was getting to the bad idea's side. "You are considering the child of a goddess from Aphrodite's blessing aside from being Half Amazon, half mortal….."

"So, I'm a hybrid….what's new?" Lysandra rolled her eyes.

"Would you let me finish?" Athena glared coldly at her. "….yes you are not just an ordinary half blood, Your blood have something special, it was a key ingredient for sealing and breaking the seal of the gods" She pulsed the check if Lysandra was still listening "….with Eris still out there, and we know that she's seemingly not working alone. You might be in a dangerous situation"

"Why do you care if I die or not?" Lysandra said coldly. Then she pulsed. "Wait a minute. You didn't care if I was dead or not, You gods care because you think my blood is going to be a problem for jail break, is that it?"

"We do care, child…." Aphrodite said but Lysandra snorted.

"Please…" Lysandra said in sarcastic tone as she rolled her eyes. "…My mother was _your _champion. You didn't even help her then…and I am just a bastard kid why would you care?"

This time, it was like Lysandra just sucker punched both goddesses in their pretty face. A pang of satisfaction thumped in her heart as she held her chin high.

"Careful, child…..remembered you are in the present of the goddesses" Athena warned her.

"If you are so powerful, why do you worried much about Eris, just find her and throw her in Tartarus or something" Lysandra said.

"It's not that easy" Aphrodite said. "Why do you think we have our champions for?"

"To do your dirty works?"

"In some ways, yes. We are forbid to cross each other's realms. That's why we have our champions, our heroes to do things for us in exchange for our favors or something they wanted" Athena replied.

"Are you implying something, I think you are implying?" Lysandra narrows her blue eyes.

"Yes. Do our biddings then we give you what you want most" Athena replied.

"Is this a plot to get me into these? All the problem turning my mother in to a statue!?" Fury was back inside her, it rose uncontrollably from her heart. But the short hair goddess held her hand up.

"No. Your mother's condition was under other _circumstance_" Aphrodite said.

"What kind of circumstance?"

"The kind that we are not allowed to reveal to you, _yet_. But….by helping us you get what you want and you save your mother and maybe the world" Athena continued.

"So you are using my mother as a bait to get me, is that it?" Lysandra snorted again.

"You don't have to agree, kid. We can look for someone else who want to do it in an exchange for what they want" The goddess said coolly this time as she picked up her drink and sipped it. Lysandra's eyes still narrowed at her when she continued "….Help us strengthening the seven seals and you get your mother back. Or don't. it's your choice…."

Lysandra stared at the goddess. Her phone buzzed again as she picked up it.

"Listen, Lysandra…" Aphrodite said. And the young princess turned to her. "….. There are things at play here. People are going to get hurt, or in your case some died. And more are going to be dead if Eris succeeded…."

"I thought you gods are not allowed to attack each other…"

"Seem like Eris is rule breaker then" Aphrodite sighed. "…. she's in hiding now, but since she's not working alone, her lackeys are going to come looking for her alternative to open the gate, meaning you. We know you've been trained, you are more than ready to face the trails ahead. But I must say the road is not an easy one. And your mother didn't get her chance until she was like hundred something years old…."

Not to Lysandra's liking, Aphrodite's voice was soft and comforting, she could feel her furies faded and her anger died down just from her mere words. Was this the powers of Aphrodite?

"What If I refused? Are you sending me back to Themyscira?"

"We should, under the current situation, it's the only place Eris cannot get to you" Athena said.

"But if she could get on the island in the first time, why would you think she won't be able to do it again?"

"From what I know, She released her true form to get out of a mortal body. Zeus's protection barrier should repel her out immediately as well and without Hermes she cannot travel back in" The goddess of wisdom spoke.

"And if I agreed to help? Are you turning my mother back?"

"Of course, not right away. You just do your things and let us worry about your mother….her curse will break when the time is right"

"And how in Hades would I know that?"

"You're just going to trust in our words" Athena said.

"But how do I reinforce the seals if I don't even know a thing about it?" Lysandra frowned.

"You must collect certain artifacts, and it will lead you to the locations of the seals" Athena continued "Because, when we made these seals, We decided to throw them off the Olympus and let them land in mortal world scatterly, so even we, ourselves do not know where exactly the seals are"

"Great…." Lysandra rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, child. The first artifact is in this city if you are agree to help we will point out the way" Athena replied.

Lysandra didn't reply then. Her mind traveled back to the weight of this mission. If she succeeded, her mother's curse will be broken. But if she failed, what was it she had to lose? Possibly her own life? And not be able to revive her mother ever again? But wasn't this was the chance she had been waiting for? To do anything to save her mother. Should she wait or jump and grab this chance now? Would it ever be any opportunity like this again at all?

Lysandra looked at both goddesses who still sat patiently across the table. She made a choice.

"Fine. I will do it"

"Good….." Athena said as she stood up, taking the phone out and started typing again, she continued without looking at Lysandra. "Now, you are going to wake up, soon. And the first location of the artifact will be in your hand, it might take you a bit to find the right one but when you do you'd know. I have to go now, many things still need to be taking care of….Good luck, child and Be wise…You have my blessing…."

With that, The goddess of wisdom walked away from the table and soon left the café. Lysandra's eyes lost her in the mist of people on the street.

"So…..There's another thing…." Lysandra turned to Aphrodite who still sat across from her. Her changeable eye colors brimmed with excitement. "What do you know about your father?"

What was this going? Lysandra thought but still answered "…not much, just that he's some vigilante who fights crimes because his parents got killed…."

"Ah, that…..well, there's more" The goddess pulled out a green bill and put it on the table, Lysandra caught a glimpse of number 20. _Money_. She thought in her mind. Then she gestured Lysandra to stand up and leave with her.

She did without asking anything. Until they were out of the café. Summer breeze hit Lysandra's skin. And she could hear honking sounds and people who rushing by on the side walk. This dream was too real to be just a dream.

"Do you see that tower, the one in the middle?" Aphrodite gestured her without pointing to the side. Lysandra' eyes traveled to the tall building. She saw the glass building that towered higher than the rest with a big W on the global sign.

"It's belong to your father…."

"He lives there?"

"No, but I believe he works there, occasionally when he's not fighting crimes" The goddess said. "….His name is Bruce Wayne. Look him up when you wake, you can always ask for his help to complete this task…."

"Who would need his help…." Lysandra rolled her eyes. She never needed him all her life. Definitely not now. She was going to save her mother by herself.

"Careful, child….he might not be as bad as you think….." She laughed at Lysandra's reaction. "And he's a very smart man. With you will be running around under his nose, he might caught a glimpse of you soon…."

"Yeah, if I met him, I promise to greet him with a punch"

"Charming…" The goddess giggled "….now off you go!…."

And with a pat on her shoulder Lysandra felt like she was pulled away so hard into the black hole, the busy street around her dissolved and the ground disappeared.

* * *

Her eyes snapped open as she gasped and sat straight up. There was no more pain except the pricking feeling in her left arm. She turned to see a needle was stuck in it and wired to a bag of clear liquid that hung upside down near the bed where she was. Lysandra started to look around her.

The thick scent of medication was lingering in the air. She was alone in the small room, wearing a simple piece of loose clothed. The windows were covered with blinds blocking her from seeing through. There was chair nearby the bed. No more beeping noises she heard when she was half conscious. As well as the wound on her body. It all healed, meaning it might be many days that she was out cold. Before she felt that her hand was gripping something she lifted it to see.

There was piece of paper in her hand, it read;

_Gotham Museum of Antiquities welcomes a new home for Ancient Greek exhibition. _

That was it, no picture. Seemed like it was torn from the bigger piece of paper. Lysandra frowned at the words. Museum? Then meaning she had to look for the right artifact on her own. At least she knew where to go.

Lysandra looked back at herself before carefully pulled the needle out of her arm. She looked at its sharp point before decide to keep it as a make shift weapon for now as she rip it off the wire. Jumping out of bed she could feel her legs were wobbling a little when they touched the cold floor. She let herself get use to the feeling before start walking with a small step. Then started pacing around the small room until her legs felt like her own again.

Lysandra then surveyed the rest of the room. She checked the night stand that sat near by the bed, wondering where her stuffs were, she would be much safer if she still had the dagger Artemis gave her. But nothing was in there, so as the small closet that sat across the room. Someone took her stuffs it seemed.

She darted across the room to the window, peeked between the blind without letting it opened too much to observe outside.

It appeared to her that this place was some kind of medical section, for she could see people in bandaged, and people sat around waiting. There was an old woman in white gown, her hair was almost white from her age. But still walked around talking to the people…maybe she was the healer of this place.

And then something caught her attention, A tall man with golden blond hair rushing across the hallway full of people to the old healer. He had scruffy looking face but his hair was trimmed short. And appeared to be in his middle age. The healer nodded at him after a short conversation then the man walked straight to her door. Lysandra was alarmed at his approach. She looked around the room for the light switch(again, thanks Artemis and her lesson), she snapped it shut, leaving the room in almost complete darkness only light escaped was one from the peek of the window behind the blind. Before she darted to hide behind the door. Hand gripped the needle ready herself to strike.

Lysandra held her breath as the door knob turned. She waited until he was all the way inside before grabbed him from behind and used her leg to kick the door shut. The man was taller than her, she almost had to tiptoe to hold him, pressing the needle at the base of his neck, a spot where death await if this man was a threat to her. He gasped as for he was caught by surprised. He probably stronger than her but with a sharp object pointing at his vital spot, this man held himself still.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" Lysandra hissed in his ear.

"Whoa kid, hold your horse!...I was the one who brought you here" He said in a rush and held both hair up in the air as if to show Lysandra he wasn't planning to fight back.

"And where is here?" Still pressed the needle firmly at his neck, she asked again. Her own heart pounded as for she never fought a man before. Could she overcome his strength if they must fight?

"This is East End Clinic…you know a medical facility in Gotham City…" His answer confirmed her. But she waited for the man to continue "…You were badly beaten, I brought you here like ten days ago for medical treatment…"

Ten days? She was out for that long? "And why would you do that"

"Kid, I know your mother….I know Diana"

Her heart almost skipped at his words but Lysandra told herself to keep her hand firmed at his neck "How do I know you're not lying?"

"My name's Steve Trevor, I was your mother's friend…."

_Steve Trevor?...Who in Hades was Steve Trevor?…._ Lysandra searched her memories. The name was familiar in her mind but she couldn't remember now.

"I still don't know who in Hades are you" Lysandra hissed back as a reply. "Where are my things? Where is my dagger?"

"For the look of it, I don't think you would need your dagg…ow!" She pressed the needled into his flesh made him yelp. "Ok, ok….I have them back in the apartment! Geez….I was just trying to help, I own your mother a debt. I was just trying to repay it by helping you…."

Lysandra loosen her grip before shove the man away. She quickly switched the light on to get a good look at him.

His blond hair was in darker shade and trimmed short. Stubble was spread across his strong jaw line. His eyes produced bright blue orbs that remind her of her grandmother. Her nose pick up faint scent of soap and leather, which later probably came from his jacket. He was probably in late thirties by mortal standard. And that prickled her thought. Something about this picture made no sense. She knew her mother might have mentioned his name somewhat. But the man this young, when he met her, he was probably in his teen.

"You didn't look much like your mother now that I see your face clearly.…" His voiced made her realized that he was watching her as well.

"And you look too young to know my mother" Lysandra almost snapped at him. Still gripping the needle in her hand.

"Let's say, I got a second chance in life" he sighed and moved to a chair by the bed before sat down casually. Lysandra still watched him carefully.

"Come on, kid. If I want to harm you…I wouldn't wait till you wake up, I would have pull your life support off a week ago" He said in a steady voice.

"How do you know I would be in that place?" Lysandra stood still and asked him.

"Well, that's a long story" He said reluctantly. Averting her eyes.

Crossed her arms over her chest, Lysandra said. "Then, I suggest you start talking"

* * *

**Ps ::** Man, that was a long chapter! Batman is so hard to write. I got headache just trying to put words in his mouth without having him came off OOC. LOL

So, again this story was a mixture of many things, I know I said it was based of JL/JLU Animated series with some DCnU twist as well as my own plots. Many things, like The bat family will be changed and some still the same. Like Dick was the first Robin, Barbara was Batgirl before she got shot by the Joker, became paralyzed and then became Oracle. You couldn't see these in the cartoons but you'd know these from comics. And I decided to leave Jason Todd, out…for now. And keep Tim as a current Robin. So the bat family was pretty much still almost the same as anyone know them.

But for other characters that I will add in the future, many things caught my attention and I decided to switch things around. Hopefully work out with the story. I will explain later when those new characters present themselves in the story.

As for Steve Trevor, I really him in _The Savage Time_ Episode. Recycling him again was pretty much last minute change but it seem to work well with the plot I have. But why was he young again? Well that the story for the next chapter to find out!

Last but not least, Can I just say, I stop reading The new 52 Justice League comic. Whoa DC, wait to piss many people off. Screw you DC, I will indulge myself in Fanfiction land from now on until you get your shit back together.

Next chapter might be post in a week or two. Depends on my free time. But don't forget to Read and Review this Chapter! Let me know what do you think!


	10. 9 Beware of Beautiful Strangers

**Disclaimers ::** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N ::** Definitely un-beta. This chapter leans a bit toward Crime gene. But I'm very sucky at it. So hopefully it didn't come out too weird! XD Also it contains some flashbacks and switching in multiple point of views, just read slowly don't rush and you won't get confused. XD

Don't forget to Review if you can!

* * *

**Chapter 9 :: Beware of Beautiful Strangers. **

_On the midsummer fairground alive with the sound  
And the lights of the Wurlitzer merry-go-round  
The midway was crowded and I was the man  
Who coughed up a quid in the dark caravan  
To the gypsy who warned him of danger  
"Beware of the beautiful stranger"_

_"You got that for nothing" I said with a sigh  
As the queen's head went up to her critical eye  
"The lady in question is known to me now  
And I'd like to beware but the problem is how  
Do you think I was born in a manger?  
I'm in love with the beautiful stranger"  
_**- Pete Atkin, Beware of the Beautiful Stranger.**

Mark Handerson hated summer in Gotham City.

Summer Night in Gotham was better than day for a resident without air conditioning installed. Mark was glad he spent all his day time during the heat and humid of Gotham away inside university library. One of his summer job that was an easy money for him to get extra cash and stay in the city without going back home in Michigan for school break. Even though his mother wasn't too happy about it.

His phone buzzed from back pocket of his pants. Mark scrambled it out as he squeezed through the street. The night was still young and people were pouring out from only god knew where into the pathway. He clicked his tongue when someone bumped into him and slipped away without apologize.

The screen of his phone lit up showing one new message.

_Out of mlik. Can you pick it up on the way home?  
- Reagan_

His girlfriend's message made him frowned. She always waited until they were out of stuffs before asked him to get it, sometimes in the middle of the night. It made him frustrated at her unreasonable demands.

They'd been going out for almost two years now. And he loved her. Reagan came from an old money family, and could be a total bitch when she was moody, she liked to be to be treated as if she was a princess. It made Mark, who came from a lower middle class family felt skeptical from time to time about dating her. Though it wasn't like Reagan ever care about his money Or ever ask him to treat her anything overly expensive and he also knew Reagan loved him too, if not she wouldn't stay with him for this long when he was just a college student who got in Gotham University by a scholarship and had to work two jobs just to earn some money to stay in this city. Reagan knew all these and even she complained about his tiny AC-less apartment. Reagan was still with him.

_Ok, anything else, Your Highness?_ He replied. A few minutes later his phone buzzed again.

_Nope. But I'm going out with Nikki. Friday Ladies' Night! :D_

Ladies' Night meant he would have to wait for her to call him to pick her up at 3 am when the club closed. Reagan had been going out almost every Friday night since school break started. Sometimes he just couldn't keep up with her life style. He sighed as he made his way to a convenient store to pick up some milk. It was only 9 pm, so Mark could stop by his favorite convenient store that usually closed at 9.30. Instead of the one nearer his apartment complex which the stuffs were overpriced and the old lady who was the owner always looked at him, or anyone else for that matter as if they would robbed her store. Mark was sure she even kept a short gun under the register just in case something like that happened.

Which he wouldn't be surprise either. It was after all, Gotham City they were living in.

He knew since the day he applied for college that the chance of living in this city with high crime rate was the price he had to pay for the better education from one of the most prestige university in United States when he only could go here as a scholarship student. There was no way his parents could effort the tuitions. And the cheapest apartment he could effort and had ok environment for study was in located in East End. Three years of living here, Mark was still surprise he'd never got mugged yet.

His mood made him slammed the door of drink refrigerator harder than usual, startled the girl who stood nearby the next refrigerator. She almost dropped her groceries.

"Sorry…." He mumbled apology to the girl.

"That's alright" The girl replied. Usually he wouldn't pay any attention but there was something about that girl's voice that drawing him to look back at her.

She was very attractive with fiery red hair pass her shoulder. Probably in her early twenties. Her brown eyes shone vividly as if they were made of amber. And she smiled at him as if she knew all his secrets. Mark was usually not the type to just fall for anyone because of their looks, it took him almost 6 months to really get to know Reagan and started Dating her. And his girlfriend was one of the prettiest girl in sororities. But this girl,

"…..um…." He felt his throat shut itself tight and his brain was working in slower pace than usual when he realized she was still looking at him.

"You live nearby, right? I saw you in this store couple times" She said with a voice as if singing a song.

"err….yes…." _Oh! She noticed him? But how come he never seen her around here, with pretty girl like this._ The words from his mouth came out too stupid but the girl was still grinning at him. _Is she flirting with him? _His brain seemed to have malfunction at the moment "….I'm Mark…"

"I'm Chloe, I would extend a hand but as you can see…." She said, gestured all the stuffs she carried.

"Well, I guess I better go, My sisters won't be happy if I made them wait too long. Especially when they're hungry…" She sighed and scrambled all her groceries as she made her way to the cashier. But not before she turned around "See you, later, Mark!"

And she winked. Leaving Mark there holding a gallon on 2% Reduced Fat Milk in his hand, that milk his girlfriend always drink because she had to watch her weight. His girlfriend – Reagan….something in his mind slipped slowly….He had a girlfriend?

"Hey!...I don't mind helping you with your groceries…" Mark called out, after unconsciously put the milk back in the refrigerator. Chloe turned back him.

"Are you sure? Don't you have someone waiting for you?" Chloe tilted her head while asked.

"…_No one_….." He heard himself say, reasons seemed to float away as he walked out with half of Chloe's paid groceries in his arms.

He didn't question her when they walked straight to the dark ally. Her flowery smell was overwhelming his sense and mind. The longer he spent with this beautiful stranger the more Reagan's face became hazy. And when they stopped at the end of the ally. He didn't even remember his own name anymore.

"We're here…." Chloe said with her melodic voice. Mark didn't see any door that would lead them elsewhere. Only the pile of garbage at the end of with the dumpster. Rotten smells assaulted his nose. Then he realized she wasn't talking to him.

"…You took so long..." Another voice rang out from the darkness.

"We begin to think you can't get food on your own, little sister….oh!" Second voice came before two figures emerged from the shadow by the dumpsters into the light. First was a woman with dark hair, second was a blond. Both were as beautiful as Chloe. And they smiled brightly when they saw Mark.

"Can't help it, there're so many garbage in this neighborhood! But look what I found….." He could hear Chloe's voice from behind before felt a hand touched his arm. Suddenly Chloe was so closed to him, her bosoms practically rubbed against his back. He felt his brain overloaded. He couldn't move.

"Hmm….I see" The dark hair woman said with a smile. Mark gulped as he felt her dark eyes on him. She walked closer, lifted her slander finger to grab his chin. Before tilted his head back and forth as if to inspect his face. "What's your name, darling?"

"Mark….Mark Handerson" He stammered. The dark hair woman batted her long eyelashes at him and smiled.

"Hello, Mark. I'm Cordelia" She said before gestured to the blond woman beside her. "And this's Caroline….we're Chloe's sisters…"

He nodded but his brain didn't seem to be his own anymore. He just stood there frozen as he let the three girls stepped closer to him.

"I hope this one last longer than the one before…." Caroline purred in his ears, her hand touched his back. Mark dropped the groceries bags.

"Poor Colin, I kinda liked him…" He heard Chloe say.

"You always have a thing for blond"

"And you just have a thing for pretty boys"

"Shut up, both of you….you are going to scare our new friend here" Cordelia snapped at her sisters. Before turned to Mark again. "…..Please, excuse my sisters. They're just hungry…"

"No problem…." He replied. Smiling dreamily at three beautiful strangers in front of him.

She smiled sweetly back at him. And when she touched his hand, entwined her fingers to his. His brain stopped working altogether.

"So, Mark….would you like to come to our place?" Cordelia said, tugging his hand as if to encourage him so.

"We will have some fun after dinner…." Caroline circled her arm at his waist on the other side. "Or we could have fun during dinner…."

"Don't say no…" Chloe said from the back as she pushed him to start walking.

Mark blinked as he nodded. His body didn't felt like his to belong anymore. All he could hear was the three sisters' giggle. And the feel of their warm bodies pushing him out from that dark ally.

Mark didn't think of the forgotten groceries bags that left untouched on the dirty ground. He didn't think of his girlfriend. He forgot how much he came to love the way she laughed. Or the way she would coo under the blanket next to him in the dead of Gotham winter, or the way she complained about how he should go out more. Reagan's shinny blond hair and her bright blue eyes seemed to fade away in darkness.

And he also didn't notice the human remains under the pile of garbage at the end of that dark alley he just left. He definitely didn't think he would be discarded just like that seven days later.

* * *

It was three am when Oracle contacted the pair that another body was found in a dumpster somewhere in East End. It took them less than ten minutes to get there from Cape Carmine (where they just finished the drug bust) with a neck-broken speed of Bat Mobile.

Tim Drake, in his Robin suit got in the car as fast as he could when Oracle finished talking in their comlinks. He noticed that Batman was more agitated than usual. He had been, ever since he collected that blood sample from the Crime Ally almost 4 weeks ago. Robin saw him sat in front of the bat computer night after night, trying to find a match from the databases they ever had. So far, came up empty. It was like something about this was eating him inside. But Batman was Batman…..he never said a word to voice his insight to him.

They greeted Detective Bullock who reluctantly muttered back greetings "I don't know why these murders are one of your concerns, don't you have some crazy psychotic bastards in costumes to deal with?...oh wait, you guys are one of them…"

"Come on, Bullock….play nice. They just wanted to help" Commissioner Gordon appeared. He nodded his head acknowledging the pair "….This is the third one in the past three weeks….His name's Colin Blake, Nineteen"

"Same cause of death?" The batman asked as they approached the body in the body bag. He zipped it down revealing a very pale young man with dirty blond hair. His eyes were still opened showing a lifeless blue orbs staring into nothingness.

"From what I saw, probably Exsanguination. He was as pale as paper, there are cuts on both his wrists just like the last two…As well as the craving on the chest.…But we probably have to wait for autopsy to presume anything…."

Robin noted that he was probably a few years older than him. There was a craving on the skin in the middle of his chest, three lines from three different angle were cut into the flesh, dragged across the skin and met in the middle, looking someone who wanted to draw an asterisk but instead of five legs, was too lazy and end up with three instead. Robin was sure if he connected the tips, It would made a perfect triangle. Then his eyes under the lenses of his mark caught the gaping hole nearby the craving….

"Is the heart…..?"

"Yes, cut out just like the rest of them too I bet the autopsy will show it was done post-mortem. And no, we didn't found the heart anywhere….there's also no blood pool where the body was found"

_A body dump again._ Robin thought but decided not to say anything.

"How did you ID him so fast this time?" Batman asked. Robin remembered the last two didn't get identified for about few days later.

"Well, he was found naked but His mother reported him missing four days ago. He came home from college for the school break, This kid lived in Upper East Side…"

_So he was from an upper middle class family._ Robin thought to himself.

Batman took another long look at the young man who stared lifelessly back at him. Robin silently watched him.

About three weeks ago, the first body was found nearby Robinson Park. Frank Moretti, Twenty five. He was a small time drug dealer in The Bowery. At first everyone, even the Batman and the rest of the bat family thought it was some kind of gang retaliation. But when the second body showed up in one of the dumpster of Upper East Side, Second victim – Scott Rodgers, Twenty two. That made the news exploded in medias, for he was a star quarterback of Gotham University.

And no evident left for them to follow, only the cold pale bodies without the hearts abandoned in the pile of garbage. Even after autopsy, they couldn't even pinpoint what weapon was used to cut into the skin to drain the blood, the edge of the wounds were clean but it was too general to rule out anything. They were no defensive wounds either, as if they were willingly to be taken and killed. There was also no drug of any kind in their systems, only to rule out they were drug during the abductions. And the victimology was inconclusive, even now they got the third body. They still didn't know how the killer pick their victims.

Two young man from two different circles of people, two men who led very different lives. One grew up in the Narrow, and became criminal himself to survive, another was a star athlete. Both were dumped like a piece of garbage, discarded in dumpster like worn out shoes. Two lives who also left their families behind. Moretti had a year old son, who now would never know his father. And Rodgers who had left behind a heart broken mother, who just lost her husband a few years prior before she lost her son.

And now, Colin Blake. This young man would never have a chance to say good bye to his mother again.

Robin remembered when he lost both his parents from the kidnapping gone wrong. He remembered how broken he was inside when he put on a happy face and tried to move on, one of the reason he became Robin today, to help Batman make a different. Batman who also lost his parents to crime. So he knew this case, had become something personal to him in many ways.

He watched his mentor zipped the bag up, covering lifeless face of Colin Blake as quickly as he could.

"What do you think we are dealing with?" He heard Commissioner Gordon asked.

"….Serial…" Batman said in his low baritone voice. "….this case just became serial killing…."

The Boy wonder gulped as he watched the Commissioner rubbed his forehead. _As if they didn't have enough crimes to deal with already._

"Do you think it was a cult-killing?" He finally asked after they both got into Bat mobile. Robin felt the atmosphere around Batman just became even grimmer than before. He really didn't expected his mentor to reply.

"Possible, but I've never seen any mark like that…." To his surprise, Batman did. "If this had magic involved, I need to make a call to an old friend….."

Robin raised one of his eyebrow, Usually Batman kept Gotham's business in Gotham. He rarely asked anyone outside for help. Heck, he even rarely asked for _their_ helps, his, Nightwing's or Even Oracle's. As if he could juggle everything on his own. But Robin had made sure to put his nose in to help, that was why he became Robin in the first place. To help Batman.

But it was still vague, to think that they would reach out for outside help. Batman still funded The Justice League. He knew Superman consulted with Batman from time to time. And Batman still went to the league's monthly meeting. But that was it. He never let anyone in Gotham to help. And never let them joining the league. That was why when Dick became Nightwing, And officially joined the justice league without Batman's consent. They had been in a falling out ever since. Dick'd moved out to his own place. Even though he was still helping, Batman decided that Nightwing was not one of the family anymore.

That was until Barbara was shot by the Joker. They were devastating. Both blamed themselves, even the only one to blame was the Joker. After Barbara recovered, she decided to continue to help with her other skills. Also told both to shake hand and made up. It never happened but Dick came home from time to time. And Tim was glad because living with Bruce _and_ Batman can make one lose insanity from his personalities. He never knew how Alfred had kept up with both _Bruce and Batman._

So when Batman said they needed to call an old friend, it made Robin wonder, this case must have devastated him enough to make him ask for outsider's help. But he held his tongue and didn't say anything when the back of his head slammed to the passenger seat as the Bat mobile soared out into the street.

* * *

Lysandra recalled the conversation she had with Steve, he explained how he got there in the first place while they were still in East End Clinic. The blond man shifted in his chair as Lysandra stood her ground. Her brain was still processing the surroundings, this man and the situation. Her bracelets were still on her wrist. They probably didn't know how to take them off. Well, only the owner was one who able to take them off anyway. She would have them as defensive resource. As for offensive, Her grip on the needle never loosened. If this story from this man didn't add up, and he attacked her, She would be ready to strike back. Lysandra shifted her weight on her legs. And wait for the man to tell her his story.

"So, All I remember was that I was at this place, like an endless garden of Asphodel….There was no one there, and I didn't even know how long I was there. All I knew was that I never hunger, there was no pain…" Steve started his story "I didn't even remember who I was then…."

"…..Asphodel Meadows…." Lysandra said and bit her lips. When Steve raised his eyebrow She explained "You were at Asphodel Meadows, meaning you were dead…."

"Ah, that's all made sense now" Steve hit his fist on his palm. When he saw Lysandra's glare he continued his story. "Ok, so I was _dead_. Then one day, this pretty lady who look very familiar came to me, she asked me if I want a second chance. But I didn't remember then who she was, while I felt like I met her before and why would I need a second chance….

"But something in her eyes, her sky blue eyes was prettier than any sky I remembered….and her voice, sound like a lullaby….." Steve pulsed when he caught another glare from the young girl. "Fine!...man, I was just trying to be _poetic_"

"I don't want _poetry_, I want _truth_. So you better start now or I will jab this needle in your eyes…"

"Ok, ok!….geez, young kid these days….." Steve shook his head and stretched out in his chair by the bed. "So, this pretty lady asked me If I want a second chance, I didn't even remember why I said yes, you know….I was sure it had something to do with her face or her voice. So after I agreed, she gave me a small flask, told me to drink it and when I woke up she will explained….I drank. Then I got knock out…I woke up again in the apartment I was staying now….

"And I remembered. Everything, My family, how my mom died during War, how I came to work for the Agency, The War, Berlin, and your mother…. My beautiful Angel…" Steve pulsed, his eyes averted from her. "….then the woman came again, she looked almost like your mother but I knew it wasn't her…."

"Aphrodite" Lysandra mumbled "She had this magical griddle, it made a man saw what his heart desired most, and her face, body, hair, eyes morphed into it…." Then Lysandra realized the relationship Steve had with her mother. "….you…..You loved her?..."

"You mother? Yes, I do" Steve still didn't look at her. "….When we met, she told me she was from the future, and I thought she was only joking. Then I saw her flew off in the sky and never return. I knew I had lost her forever. Not until I was an old man then, in a retirement home. Your mother came to me. I was so happy, but I knew, I love her still. Even she loved someone else. I love her until the last of my day….I still do"

_Even she loved someone else. Yeah, her stupid mortal father._ Lysandra thought. Waite for Steve to continue.

"So, the pretty lady told me, That your mother was in a situation that prevent her from doing her jobs….And she was with a child….man that shocked me! I mean, I know she loves someone but married and has kid?..."

"They aren't married…." Lysandra cut in.

"Oh?"

"She was cursed for some stupid reasons the gods don't want to tell me, but she left him to protect me…so…Technically he didn't know I exist…." Lysandra was one who looked away this time.

"Oh…." He said, his eyes became softer as he looked at her, _pity_ "Oh kid…."

He opened his mouth but Lysandra held her hand up for him to stop. "Could you please just finish your story…?"

Steve cleared his throat. "Well, she said I was to help you when you arrive. She didn't tell me when just where you would be before dawn breaks. So for the last three months, I was there waiting, every day. Wondering I what would I say to you when we met, or if you would look like you mother….how I would feel about all of it, helping a child of the woman I've loved but she wasn't mine…." He pulsed again looking straight at Lysandra "…then you showed up, flew out of the sky and landed on that ground, broken, bleeding, laying there in your own blood….And I knew, all that doesn't matter now, you are just a girl and no girl should be hurt like that….."

_Well, then you haven't been on Themyscira. People needs to get in line to get a piece of me._ She wanted to say but instead she asked. "When did you die? The first time I mean…"

"You talked like I'd died twice…" He sighed a little but he answered "Well, I passed away when I was 78"

"But how come you look like you are about thirties now?" She frowned at him.

"I don't know, I guess the pretty lady didn't want an old man running and shaking his bones, trying to help you?" He shrugged again. Well, it made sense.

Then they were looking at each other, Lysandra studied the man who told her that he loved her mother still, even after many years of his life, after his death. He still loved her even then. Then she remembered how other Amazons saying Men were shallow, and always took what they can get. How they were selfish and evil. That they could not be trusted. But Lysandra also remembered her mother, how she also loved a man, her father. How she had friends who were male and how they treated her nicely and how they fought alongside as comrades in arms.

It made her wonder, if her father still loved her too? After so many years, after she left him behind. If he had moved on to someone else?

_When there's nothing left for you to count on ….you can trust yourself._ Her mother's word resonated in her head. But did she trust herself enough to trust in him?

That would have to be a game to gamble then. She thought and then loosed up the grip of needle in her hand but still enough if she want to flex her wrist and let it fly to the target.

Her years of training told her not to let her guard down and to always be vigilant. But what did her heart say?

Lysandra held her chin high, her shoulder squared and even though she was in this simple medical gown with her black hair uncombed and her face unwashed. She never felt this regal before "Well, then….Let's start this again…..I am Lysandra, Princess of the Amazons, Daughter of Diana of Themyscira…."

She saw the blond man smiled, he got up from his chair and bow his head a little. "My name's Steve Trevor, Former Government Intelligence. Recently came back from the dead…"

She smiled at him a little. Maybe she would give this man a chance. If Aphrodite brought him back from the dead to help her, then….she was going to make it work.

* * *

They moved into the place where Steve had been staying since he first woke up from his death two days after Dr. Thomkins cleared Lysandra. The doctor was surprised how much her body healed in such short time but again, she didn't say anything for seeing fair shares of stranger things in this city. Steve brought her new set of clothes, saying they were already in the closet, he just grabbed whatever in there. As well as Lysandra's old Amazonian attires.

"I cannot accept this….." Dr. Thomkins reluctantly said when Lysandra gave her jewel fibulae as the payment for healing her. The old woman handed them back to her. But Lysandra shook her head, held the hand of the doctor.

"Please, I do not like being in debt…." The young princess said "….Think of it as a token of gratitude. If you don't want to keep them, you can always sell them, they would worth some money, Steve told me you needed it for medical supplies…."

The doctor gave the blond man a look. Steve only shrugged and said. "Hey, it's true Doc. You need the money, and she wants you to have it. Why not? It's for the greater good…"

"…We'll talk about this tomorrow, Mr. Trevor. Now take her home. So she can rest…"Dr. Thomkins sighed but finally she accepted the brooches. Lysandra was glad that she did. She wouldn't be needing them anymore. She was no longer wearing chiton. And anything that reminding her too much of Paradise Island she wanted to get rid of them.

So on the way to Steve's place. They stopped at jewelry store to sell her other stuffs, The owner looked at them as if they'd stolen them. Lysandra just gave him a bright smile as Steve told them it was family's heirlooms. After all of them(Her golden griddle, hair ornaments and necklace) checked out and were cleared from being stolen, the owner finally paid them in cash as Steve asked.

"Never let them pay you with check, it will be a problem when you don't even have an ID on you…. Cash always the best way" Steve explained as they were on their way to the subway entrance. Lysandra almost couldn't hide her excitement as she bought subway pass from the machine with Steve, or when they went through the automatic gate and wait on the platform. She looked around seeing people waiting for their trains, Some business men(as Steve called them) in suits stood, some reading papers, some just stared blankly to nothing or some just talk quietly on the phones. Lysandra spotted a group of teenage girls, probably her age. They giggles as they leaned their heads in together. It reminded her of Epione, she had to look away.

Their subway ride was quiet. They didn't speak much. Lysandra's eyes dart around her, catching the flickering lights from underground tunnel as the train moved. Her ears picked up a faint music came from a man who sat across them, his feet tapped the same pace as the rhythms went.

"how did the music came out of that man?" Lysandra whispered to Steve who sat next to her.

"Probably those things young kids these days called _iPod_"

"Music came out from a pot? but I don't see him carrying one…" Lysandra frowned. But her words made Steve laughed, he shook his whole body trying to hold it in.

"Man…you are worse than an old man like me" He wiped a tear that came out from laughter. Lysandra felt her face flushed. She elbowed him in the arm. "OW! No hitting!"

"Well, sorry I was raised on the island full of angry women who like to beat the crap out of each other in their free times" She replied and crossed her arms.

"Sorry, kid. I forgot.…."

"Don't call me kid, I'm already 17"

"Yeah, compare to me? You are a toddler" Steve rubbed his probably bruised arm and cleared his throat. "Anyway, well….It's a music playing device, called _iPod_ not a real…you know…Pot"

She rolled her eyes and ignored his attempt for conversation for the rest of the ride after that.

Lysandra still scowled when they got off the subway. She scrunched her nose from rotten smell she picked up as she strode along the side walk. Suddenly realized how much better hygiene Paradise Island produced even without modern technology. But then again all environments were controlled by mystical force. No one ever care about if they forgot to clean the sewer. Steve told her they were in China Town. About five minutes walk from the station, they stopped in front of an old dinky looking building. She followed Steve inside without asking question.

There was no one in the hall way on the first floor but she could hear noises from the residents from all around. The sun was about to set, its orange hue blasted in from those dirty glass windows. Steve led her to the old looking elevator. After he pulled double brass doors shut tight, he jabbed the button "5" on the panel. It was the top floor.

Apparently The Goddess prepared almost everything. Lysandra blinked when Steve opened the double brass door again after the elevator reached its destination. Lysandra stepped out and observed the place. She saw a big white couch in the middle of the loft sat opposite a big black screen, several bookshelves stood against the wall. And the kitchen in the farthest corner, there was another door leading out to the roof top area. She made a mental note to check it out later.

"Your bedroom is over here…" Steve said, led her to the door on her left. He opened it and Lysandra followed. It wasn't as big as her quarter in the palace. There was a bed with pink covers and pillows already made. Lysandra gave it a mocking look. And she saw a desk next to bed. An old looking computer sat there as well as a desk lamp and several books. Steve left the thick envelope of the money they got from selling Lysandra's Amazonian's jewelries on the table.

"There's something in here for you from Pretty lady and also, your precious dagger…." She heard the blond man said as he moved to the closet nearby. He grabbed the door open, Lysandra could see it was fully stocked with clothes and shoes, as if someone had been living here for many years. But her attention turned back to the older man when he reached for the brown box on the top shelf inside the closet, next to some colorful looking hats. And hand it to her. Artemis's dagger was on top of it, the blade shone in the last light of evening.

"….I will let you settle in, we'll talk in a bit….maybe after you rest?" Steve said.

"I've been sleeping for 10 days, I don't think I need anymore rest…." Lysandra frowned as she hugged the box to her chest. "I have a job to do here…I need to track down some artifact…."

"Well….I do" He yawned and stretched his arms. Lysandra gave him a glare "…..Excuse me, I have a job you know, how do you think I feed myself after I woke up from the dead?"

"I don't know…I never woke from the dead…..I thought Aphrodite gifted you with like no hunger, no pain, and some money"

"Well, kid. She didn't" He shrugged "She might got us this nice apartment. But the man still need to eat, alright?...and no I don't want your money…"

"What is your job?"

"Well, I work at the clinic…" His answer made Lysandra raised her eyebrow.

"You know how to heal people?"

"Not really, I just help out this and that….Anyway, no more talking….I insist you rest and we will talk tomorrow"

"But…"

"No but. My room is next to yours, if you need anything just bang on the wall…but…err…don't hit too hard…"

"Don't worry, my mother's _abilities_ aren't genetic" Though she wished they were.

Steve waved his hand slightly and when the door clicked shut, Lysandra dropped herself on the bed which bounced back a little. She sighed and looked down at the box and dagger in her arms. Lysandra grabbed its handle that decorated with red jewels. A surge of security flood back into her now that she was holding her dagger. It greeted her with a shining reflection of herself, her blue eyes stared back. Her favorite leather sheath was gone, so she would need to get a new one. She smiled at the thought a little and let it rest on the bed next to her.

Then she examined the box. It was just a brown paper box with nothing out of ordinary. The tape seal was still shut tight, so the blond man probably didn't open it.

_Good, at least he's not nosy._ Lysandra thought as she put it next to her on the bed before start ripping it open. She peeked inside.

She first saw a plain white envelope. Lysandra took it out, see a neat handwriting with red ink. _For Lysandra._ It said. There was a wax seal closing the letter. On the seal Lysandra saw a picture of a dove. She frowned. _Dove, so this was from Aphrodite_.

_Dear, my sweet._

Lysandra rolled her eyes at the first sentence. Aphrodite talked to her as if she was her daughter. She didn't want to offend the Goddess, but honestly, she only had one mother and it wasn't her. But if the goddess left this for her, then it must be important. Lysandra sighed and started again.

_Dear, my sweet._

_First, If you are reading this, means you have decided to stay and help us patching the seals. It also means you chose to become our champion, or what you called it "an errand girl" You will soon be put on difficult trials, Many monsters shall come and hunt for your blood for that you are now their obvious enemy. But Fear not my child, even though the gods are not allowed to directly intervene but our guidances from maybe come in time of need, If you seek and pray for it. _

_Second, about my other blessings, I am not sure they will come right away, but just to be safe, DO NOT take off your amazon bracelets, especially when there are men around. Those bracelets you wear since you were a child was forged just for you to retain some of your abundant allure…._

Lysandra pulsed. Her eyes grew wide at the latter "MY WHAT?"

_….You see, I always gave something like these to my children. You, on the other hand were conceived with my divine blessing, would hold some abilities my children have as well as their omnipotent charms, beauties, charismas to attract opposite gender (or sometimes even the same) or influence their minds with your words. Until they learned how to control their own allurements (which could come in handy I tell you!), they must never take it off. It will be bad if you got chase by a huge crowds of boys or girls when you fought a giant, isn't it? So, there, you must not take your bracelets off until you learn how to control your own power. They said Practice makes Perfect! (Our dear Mr. Trevor won't be effected by it, just so you know if you are worried. I took care of it) I give you another pair of the bracelets just in case, you happened to lose the ones you wear right now._

_ Also my dearest husband present you with his gift, you know he was a fan of your mother. He said you will know how to use it with your expand knowledge. And you might need a new sheath for your weapon, I took care of that….actually it's a present from Athena. Not very fashionable, kind of boring like her! And Oh! I hope you like your wardrobe, I hand-picked those clothes just for you as your coming of age present. Have fun mix and match!_

_Last but not least, Beware of the birdboy, he'll bring you trouble! But by all means, don't forget to have fun!_

_Your friendly, most beautiful, most favorite deity of the universe._

"….And The Vainest of them all…" Lysandra muttered as soon as she finished. The letter did no help her in anyway beside telling her things she already knew, her future hardship and some dumb blessings that will be useless in battle. How Lysandra wished she was conceived by Athena's blessing instead….sure the grey eyes goddess was kind of cold. But in many ways she remind her of Artemis, they didn't look anything alike but the air around them were very similar. Strict, discipline, wise and independent. She would rather be born with blessed wisdom than blessed beauty. But The fates seemed to hate her still, so she was stuck with Aphrodite as her primary Patroness instead.

Lysandra peeked into the box again, saw the brown leather sheath lay inside, squeezed next to it was a lump of something that was wrapped by red cloth – Lysandra concluded it would have been her second pair of the retaining bracelets. Under it was another smaller box, she was sure it was a gift from Hephaestus. She didn't know her mother was a good friend with the god of smiths. But she didn't want to find out what was in the box yet.

She sighed deeply, pushed the box aside and slammed herself on to the bed. The mattress bounced her body back a bit. Lysandra stared at the ceiling.

She was really out of Themyscira and she was going to save her mother.

Suddenly her eyelids got heavier and heavier, her hand dragged across the comforter and it touched the dagger, she curled her fingers around the handle and gripped it tight. And sleep slowly washed over her. Lysandra did not dream of anything or anyone.

* * *

Living with Steve was probably what people called normal for an outside world. For Lysandra, it seemed so surreal. She didn't have to get up early in the morning for training. She didn't have constantly avoided hateful eyes from the Amazons. Even though she missed Artemis and Epione but living with Steve was so much more...typical. It was almost boring.

He woke up in the morning, most of the time when Lysandra still slept in. He always knocked on her bedroom door around 9 to let she knew he was leaving for work and won't be back until around 8 or 9 pm. They usually eat dinner together, most of the times they order take out or Steve cooked. Lysandra felt her face flushed everytime he commented about how she didn't know how to cook, which she argued back that she can if they were stuck in the forest, she knew how to hunt and cook the game she caught. Only reply from Steve was a chuckle.

So her day times were pretty much free. She spent wandering around first to get acquainted around the neighborhood. China town wasn't too big so she only spent full day checking things out. Then she moved on to explore the rest of Gotham.

After Lysandra checked the details of Ancient Greek Exhibition. Not to her liking it won't start until a week after. And it only last for the next two weeks. So whatever artifact she needed to find, there was only two weeks to be found and acquire it. She wondered how she was going plan a break into a museum and get it without getting caught in less than two weeks. Lysandra never knew, she'd never steal anything before in her life.

She didn't tell Steve about her mission either. Lysandra didn't want anyone to be involved in already complicated matters. She knew Steve knew she was up to something. Her staying was pretty obvious that she didn't just land in Gotham city just for fun. And she knew Steve noticed she sneaked out every night, but again he never said anything.

"So….I was thinking….We should build a legend for you" Steve said one night while they were eating dinner, they had order Japanese food and Steve worked his way easily with his chopstick on his Unadon or eel bowl, while Lysandra struggled using her chopsticks and end up stabbing her meat with it in frustration. She could use any weapon, sword, knife, dagger, bow, axe, club…whatever anyone can name it but she couldn't maneuver a piece of Tonkatsu into her mouth with a pair of chopsticks. Lysandra wanted to laugh at her own lameness.

"A what?" She almost snapped when a piece of deep-fried pork cutlet escaped her open mouth yet again.

"I told you to hold it like you are holding a pen, keep the bottom one still and move with the upper one…" Steve showed her again quickly before he continued "…and it's called a legend, it's like a cover story for an operative…."

"I don't need your trickster stuffs…" Lysandra said as she tried again with her chopsticks. She often called him Trickster, after learning he was a spy during the war. Which he argued that Trickster and spy were two different things, but for Lysandra, a person who obtained secret information without permission was always be a trickster to her. Or maybe it was her amazon upbringing speaking, she didn't like waiting in the dark corner and steal secrets, she would rather fight face to face.

Even Artemis had told her, sometimes Espionage was a necessary act to acquire value information to win a war. Still, it wasn't her style.

Lysandra started to think of the reason Aphrodite picked to wake Steve, of all people up to help her. She could easily ask one of her mother's special friends. She knew, or she thought that handsome guy in blue and red would be more than willing to help. But why a dead guy? Why Steve? Was it because his experiences before his death would come in handy for Lysandra? Or it was just a whim that Aphrodite picking his name up from a hat and nothing more? It gave Lysandra a split headache just to figure out what the goddess was thinking.

"Come on, Kid….what are you going to tell anyone when they asked you question? I am sure you won't say 'I AM WONDER WOMAN'S DAUGHTER'…."

"And why not?"

"Well, first…. They will think you are crazy. Second, they will think you are deluded. Well that probably the same thing…." Steve stopped and chewed on his grilled eel. "…..these days from what I've heard, people think of Wonder Woman as a myth. It was so long ago anyone had seen her. So out of the blue some girl came out and claimed she is her daughter, of course they will tell you, you are not right in the head…..beside, you wouldn't want your enemies to know what you are, it's safer to go undetected when no one paying you attention…."

"I'm not afraid to fight" she muttered before successfully putting the food in her mouth.

"Believe me, I know….." Steve shook his head "But for your own sake, let just do this. In case something happened and you need to tell people stuffs…we need to come up with a believable story…."

"I'm not good at lying" She admitted. Even the Goddess said it herself.

"Sometimes, you don't have to lie about everything, kid. You just don't have to tell them the whole truth….Keep it simple"

"But lie was never simple, even if it was half a lie" Lysandra said, successfully put another piece of her fried pork in her mouth. Ignoring a look Steve gave her.

* * *

"I've never seen any cult with a symbol like this…." Zatanna muttered softly in the large screen of Bat Computer as she looked at the pictured Batman had sent her via email. "….But I will check my Mystical network, see if anything came up, I will let you know…."

"Thanks again, Zatanna…" Bruce said in his low baritone as usual. Even though he didn't wear his cowl at the moment since Zatanna knew of his secret identity. But he was already in his bat suit, getting ready for Justice League founder meeting. He was about to cut off the communication when Zatanna called him out.

"Wait, Bruce!..." She said. And he stopped midway. He could feel her bright blue eyes studied his face. "….How are you? We haven't talked for a while…"

"I'm fine….."

"No, you are not fine, Bruce. You used to lie better now I can see it that you are lying when you only starting to open your mouth…Bruce….What happened to you?" Zatanna's voice was gentle but it didn't make him feel any better.

"Nothing, Zatanna. I'm fine…contact me as soon as you get any lead, Batman out." Before Zatanna can say anymore Bruce said a short goodbye and cut off the communication.

The screen faded back into the bat symbol. Supercomputer hummed in the dark of his Bat cave. The light of the screen illuminated but Bruce rubbed between his forehead, he was tired. Days after days, he searched for clues of these unusual murder cases. Nothing useful came up. And his search for the donor of that blood still came up empty. He just wished his rouges gallery at Arkham wouldn't break out any time before he could put this serial killer away. But again, he didn't believe much in luck.

"You know, the lady was right….your lies getting worse and worse every day. There was a time, when I believe everything you said. Now?…not so much. Must be old age" A familiar voice called out, Bruce didn't have to look back to know who was it.

Dick was already in his Nightwing suit. The black texture gleamed from the illuminating light of the computer screen. He could see his former protégé's smirk in the reflection.

"Where's Tim?" Bruce ignored the remark from the younger man. He pulled his cowl back on.

"Coming!" Younger voice shout as Tim in his Robin suit descended from the stairs, his cape flew as he rushed down. Behind him Alfred followed with few containers of food.

The food was obviously for his former and current protégé. Bruce wanted to scold and told them this was not a picnic. But he was almost late for JL meeting.

"Becareful, both of you. There's a serial killer, running around the city killing young man your age…" He said as he stalked off to the teleport platform. Keyed in the location on the panel.

"Come on, Bruce. We've got this…. We do this every month, remember?" Dick said and pat Tim who came stood next to him on the shoulder. "…beside, Babs is monitoring Arkham, if anything went wrong we will contact you….now off you go!"

Dick shooed him with a dismissing wave. He glared through the lenses of his cowl but Dick who technically immune his traditional batglare for knowing his mentor for many years, just returned it with a smirk.

"You'd better…" He muttered under his breath before dematerialized away with a hum of the teleporter.

"Alright, Timmy…let's rock and roll…..Gotham awaits!" Dick pulled Tim by his shoulder, the younger boy swayed and stumbled as he tried to followed his predecessor to the garage.

* * *

Lysandra waited until she was sure Steve retied for the night before tip-toeing across the living room straight to the kitchen door that would lead her outside to the rooftop. After carefully shut the door, she felt the lighter breeze hit her skin.

She preferred night time in Gotham than day. It was less humid and she didn't feel sticky whenever she moved her body. Lysandra walked over the edge and watch the scenery. Dark cloud floated cross black night sky. Smoke came out from far distant factories. In the opposite direction toward the bay, Stood Lady Gotham in the middle of dark color sea. Her hands held out to each sides, one held the sword, another held the scale, blindfolded. It resembled The statue of Themis in her temple on Paradise Island. Which was funny feelings for Lysandra, she never paid much attention to that temple while she lived there. But now that she was in Gotham, This statue became one of her favorite landscape of the city.

Lysandra turned her back to the statue. She didn't sneak out to watch it lit up at night. The young princess checked her belt strap to make sure her dagger was secured in its sheath. Her silver bracelets gleamed from under her jacket sleeves. She then, tied her hair up to a pony tail so it won't get in the way. Lysandra swung it to check if it was tight enough, after feeling satisfied, she zipped up her jacket, tied double knots on her sneakers' laces. She was debating to wear a pair of pants but the rising temperature of Gotham wasn't much help, so she decided to just wear her short instead. It wasn't like a regular pants would protect her from any injuries, even she got injured, it was the only matter of hours that it healed.

She could hear the noise of traffic from down below. The summer breeze touched her skin again as if to invite her to join it on the journey through the city, it was always this nostalgic feelings she got every time she stood on higher place. Even she couldn't smell the fresh scent of ocean like Themyscira, Or couldn't see the blueness of ocean. But it she still felt this feeling, like it was where she truly belonged. Where she felt like home. Maybe that was why the cliff on Paradise Island was her favorite place.

Lysandra stepped closer to the ledge, looking down to the street below. The high made adrenaline rushed inside her from head to toes. Lysandra slipped on the fingerless gloves. She pulled a gift from Hephaestus that attached to the back of her belt out, It was a grapping hook gun.

She didn't know what it was until she stumbled upon pictures from the news of Batman and his sidekick. Realization hit her like an arrow hit the bullseye. The first few times she tried was pretty hard. But she had all night, for several nights to swing around, and she was sure as Hades she was a pretty fast learner. And she combined that with her flying rings training she had when she was around fourteen. She never got why Artemis would wanted her to swing around and maneuver in midair like a monkey. But now, she did. It was as if Artemis knew these days would come.

"This is what I was trained to do…." Lysandra told herself out loud. "And I will not be afraid….."

She stepped up on to the ledge, aimed and fired the gun to the next building, Cars honking sound from below faded to the background as she took off from the rooftop. Lysandra cried in excitement as she gripped on to her gun, swinging above the traffic of china town in midair.

This was where she belonged, soaring in the air as if she was flying. She felt like home.

* * *

**Ps ::** Another long chapter finished! :D I actually like this one, though as I said before at the beginning, Crime gene is not my forte, even though I love watching crime drama, police procedural shows. But hey, I tried. Hopefully it wasn't too bad.

I know the last chapter and this one was pretty slow pace, more of explaining and dreaming sequences(as from the last one, almost the whole chapter was inside Lysandra's head) But I promise more actions in the next chapter :D Don't forget to review if you don't mind letting me know how you like it. And thank you everyone who follow and favorite my story!

So, what those three murderous sisters really are? Who's gonna catch the killer first?, the bat clan or Lysandra? Will she find the artifact she's looking for? Or the monster will catch up with her first? Until the next chapter!


	11. 10 Collided

**Disclaimers ::** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N ::** Still un-beta. Sorry for very late update. Work has been kicking my ass, then Hurricane happened. I lost the data after the power went out and had to rewrite almost the whole chapter, plus I was finishing some books I planned to read. So that took away a lot of my time.

Also Warning for some graphic violence and strong language. You want some actions? Here I present you actions! :D Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 10 :: Collided **

_Even the best fall down sometimes  
Even the stars refuse to shine  
Out of the back you fall in time  
I somehow find  
You and I collide  
_**- Howie Day, Collide.**

It was raining that night in Gotham. Lighting struck across the dark sky on the horizon before the droplets stared pouring.

Lysandra almost turned around and go back to her loft because of it. But curiosity and excitement fueled her to keep on with her night exploring.

She'd never seen real rain before. True that Themyscira was on mystical climate controlled. So she had seen rain. But this real rain in Gotham was so much different. It wasn't warm and left the fresh scent of cleanness on green grass that would linger in the air afterward. Instead, it was cold harsh stream, came down assaulting any surface below the grim sky.

She picked up strong scent of blood when she came across the big park in the middle of the city. Even through the rain, she could smell it. She shivered at the thought of the source. Lysandra should never follow it, something inside her compelled her so.

The droplets fell and bathed her skin as she stalked through the woods of Robinson Park. It reminded her of the forest on Paradise Island but without wildlife. The smell got thicker as she walked through the tree. Then she heard a scream.

_A real agony scream._

She stalked faster, hand gripped hard on dagger hilt. The scream went on for a while then stopped. There was nothing but the sound of raindrops hit the surface. Lysandra held her breathed when she peeked through the shrub where the smell of blood came from the thickest. Even with the flickering light from across the wood was the only source, but crimson liquid steamed away, mixing with the brown mud on the ground as it washed away passed her rain soaked sneakers.

And her heart stopped.

Big body was crouching down over a pile of…what she was sure use to be human, now ripped open in the middle. A pair of Human hands lay in the bloody mud. Blood splattered everywhere on the green grass. Lysandra stood frozen at the horrid sight and gasped.

_Snap!_

Lysandra unconsciously stepped backward on a twig. That movement made the monster stopped short on his feasting and turned around, yellow eyes glowed through the rain.

A Laistrygonian Giant.

"My…my….look what I found….a child of Aphrodite….I bet your flesh is sweet as you look…" The giant bore his bloody sharp teeth wide to smile, tossed the remaining on the ground as he faced forward to Lysandra.

Terror washed her just like the cold rain. She'd never seen anything so gruesome before in her life. Her eyes stung, she wanted to cry in horror but she wouldn't let herself to. So she wiped her hand up to her mouth instead.

_Torn limps, organs, human bones…._bile rose from her stomach….

"….Come to me and I won't eat you alive…" The giant said with a smile. Lysandra flinched backward. When her legs seemed to wake, she turned around and ran.

Then the chase began.

Lysandra ran through the woods, picked the path that wasn't walking path to slow down the giant as he ran after her, he would have go through the trees, as she zigzagged by. Lysandra avoid running into open field, she might be fast but in this fight something tell her she wouldn't be able to defeat this almost seven feet tall giant when she only have one dagger and a grappling hook.

Laistrygonian Giants were one of the most vicious cannibals in the myth. They enjoyed killing as much as feeding on their victims, sometimes they made the victims watched how they eat their limps until they die from agonizing pain and bloodlost of being torn into pieces alive. They enjoyed pain. They loved to have their victims screamed and beg for mercy.

_If you encountered a Laistrygonian Giant, Turned around and run like hell. Do not fight them alone, you need many hands as you can get to defeat it._Artemis's voice reminded her from their days of monsters study. She used to think it was cowardice to run from a battle.

But now she knew why. Why Artemis had told her to run. Mud splashed across her legs, her sneakers soaked from rain, she didn't stop. She couldn't, if she wanted to get out of the park alive.

"Don't you run from me, demigod!...I will kill you slowly for this!" The giant howled from behind her, he smashed through the trees, almost catching up with her.

_Need to get out of the park. Safer outside._Her thoughts bombarded inside her head. If she get to the edge of the park and cross over the street, she could sling away with her gun.

_Run faster! Must be faster!_

"You won't escape me!" He roared. Lysandra knew he was even closer now. Her legs ached from sprinting but she couldn't stop now, the edge of the three started to part in front of her. Lights from traffic were flickering, beckoning her to reach it. Her hand grabbed the gun, ready to fire for the building across the park. Another pulled out her dagger, gripping it hard.

Lysandra tried to pick up her pace, instead she tripped.

Smashing into mud and wet grass, losing her dagger in the process. She scrambled was fast as she could for it but the giant leapt and tackling her to the ground. His sharp claws dug in her flesh. Lysandra screamed.

"That's right, Halfling...scream all you like!" He laughed and grabbed her waist before threw her body, she flew and slammed into the tree. Her body smashed the trunk and slipped down but her mind told her to get up, ignoring the pain the spread like wide fire in her body. She taste blood in her mouth as the giant gripped her ankle and sling her effortlessly out in the open lawn. Her body skidded through the grass and mud. Away from her dagger, the only weapon she knew could save her life.

_So much pain._ It exploded in her body. But conscious screamed at her to get up again, if she wanted to live.

"Oh no, you are going to be my dessert, Halfling…." The giant lifted her by ankles, her body swung helplessly in midair. Lysandra choked on her own blood from the cut on her lips and the cold was the rain that still pour down mercilessly. The giant sneered widely showing sharp teeth. Its yellow eyes glowed with menace.

For the first time in her life, Lysandra knew she was going to die.

* * *

"Forecast sucks." Dick Grayson in his Nightwing suit muttered as he loomed over the rooftop, Tim was behind him. Both soaked through the harsh rain that had been pouring down.

"I though you watch it for the forecast lady…." Tim said, took a bite on his ham sandwich Alfred prepared for them. He perched under the shade, hiding temporary from the rain. "Especially the redhead one during the evening news…."

So much for a rooftop picnic they'd planned. Tonight was one of those that Batman left them in charge of Gotham as he was reluctantly away for Justice League monthly meeting. And since he forbade them to take Batmobile out, both had to hop on their bikes instead.

"Oh, you know me too well…." Dick grinned. "…At least some low life might feel too lazy to be commit crime in the cold rain like this."

True. Or at the least that what they'd hoped. Tim hid his small smile behind his food. He liked patrolling with Dick, it was almost like they were bonding again. After incident with Barbara, Dick rarely came home anymore. He had his own apartment in Bludhaven. And Bruce was still in the pushing everyone away mode, even Tim was living in the same house with him. He barely talked to Bruce beside during patrol or something they investigating. Tim knew Bruce wasn't a conversationalist but the man supposed to be his goddamn mentor. Tim almost resent that a bit.

With Dick, they always talked. Even Tim wasn't talkative type but Dick always prod him in the right direction and have him spilled his guts. It let him vent out something inside. It helped Tim being sane from living in the same roof with the Batman. A man who bottled everything inside him, Tim wondered when the bomb would go off inside his mind.

"….Sorry to interrupt your date, boys…but I picked up something on the surveillance camera across Robinson Park…." Barbara's voice boomed from their commlink.

"No biggie, What is it, Oracle?" Dick answered back. Tim automatically put his sandwich away

"It might be nothing but…" Her tone hesitated, "….I think I got a glimpse of a homeless guy got snatch into the woods of the park, I couldn't get a clear angle because there was no camera in the park, only few across the street…though I had some 911 calls, reporting disturbing noise from residents nearby…"

"Do you think it was the same perp with the recent murders?" Tim voiced his opinion. "Should we contact Batman?..."

"Nah…Let's just check it out first, it might be nothing….We will check it out, Nightwing out." Dick said and cut the commlink. He turned to Tim who was ready to swing into action. "Ready, Boy Wonder?"

Tim gave his adopted brother a nod with small smirk as a reply. Before the both took off from the ledge. Slung their ways through the pouring rain.

* * *

"Child of Aphrodite in this filthy city….I would never have guessed….." The Giant said as he used his sharp nails swiping across Lysandra face, she knew if he pressed hard enough it would have slash into her skin. She struggled under his much bigger body but was pinned on the legs by his knees, both her hands scratched her way on his arm, hoping it would inflict any damage. The giant had her down by the throat with one hand. She lay helplessly, powerlessly under a cannibal. His yellow eyes glowed in the dark, looking down at her fascinatedly. His body temporary sheltered her from rain drops.

"Resistant is futile…" He smiled cruelly above her. Lysandra's eyes stung as she forced herself not to cry, either in pain or in terror. The giant's free hand caressed her skin in the manner than made the bile rose in mouth. Sharp nails from one had on her throat dug mercilessly into her skin, her blood seep out mixing with one already under his finger nails.

"You have such pretty eyes…as expected from Aphrodite's…." He murmured as he grabbed her chin and jerked her face aside, before bend his head down and licked the blood from her neck. Lysandra flinched, and struggled harder. Wanting to scream, _Not Aphrodite's!_ But only her act was only brought humor to the giant above her. He laughed. "Exquisite..….maybe I shall enjoy tasting you in different manner…"

Lightning struck across the dark sky. She wanted to throw up from the skin contact as she continued to scramble away from his body, until her gaze fell on the nearby grass, her dagger lay glittering there in mud.

Despite her skin was crawling from the giant's hand that started to grope her breast through her soaked jacket, Lysandra forced the bile in her mouth not to rise and reached for her abandoned weapon.

"Get off me, you ogre!" Lysandra screamed back as tried to keep the giant's eyes on her face instead of her right hand that was scrambling away for the dagger nearby_, Almost!...just a little bit more._

The giant chuckled, his eyes glowed. "….still fighting, demigod?...good, it will make my meal more enjoyable…."

"Dream on, ogre!" She rasped. Her fingertip touched the hilt of the dagger. It slid away, Lysandra cursed mentally. The giant laughed loudly grabbed harder on one of her breast, she yelped in pain. Kicking her legs harder under him.

"…Then I am living the dream now, sweetness…."

"Go to Tartarus!" She spat. Struggled to get a hold of her weapon. The rain stared to die down, if she couldn't get a hold of her dagger soon, the giant might started noticing her wandering hand and decided to ripe it off. _Come on!_

"Been there, not a very nice place. A little too steamy for my taste…." The giant chuckled again. Before bend down and licked the blood from her cut lips, Lysandra tightened her mouth closed with Disgusted. "…..I can't wait to hear you scream for me, Halfling….I haven't have demigod for centuries….I can smell you better now that the rain stopped…by the gods….it will be a shame to just eat you…."

"Sorry, but you're not my type, I prefer my suitor a vegetarian" Lysandra muttered. Her hand slid across the cold hilt. Finally grabbed the dagger successfully. The steel hilt dug into her palm, it hurt but she never felt more alive, anticipation laced her mind.

Triumph exploded behind her eyes, forced herself not to smirk. She gripped it tighter in her hand. "…..But I will love it when _you_ scream…."

"wha….!"

And Lysandra swung, stabbed the giant hard in his jugular. Her diamond-like blade buried to the hilt on the side of his neck, She pulled it out fast. Brown blood sprayed across her face from the wound as the giant shrieked in pain. And Lysandra swung the second time, Before kicked him hard in the groin and slammed her other wrist, using her Amazonian bracelet as weapon, into his temple.

The Giant slipped off her as he howled in pain. Lysandra lifted both her feet and thrust hard in his abdomen. His body swayed away, created enough space for her to roll away.

"You will pay for that, child of Aphrodite! I will fucking tear you from limp to limp!" The giant screamed as he clutched his wound throat. Brown blood spilled out but Lysandra knew this wound won't be fatal enough for a killing blow, he would regenerated soon enough, two ways to kill him, behead for burn him to dusk. But from her situation, she wouldn't have any fire to incinerate him. So decapitating was the only way available.

Lysandra ignored the pain from earlier blows, and blood that seeped down for the cuts on her body. She stood her ground, planted her feet firmly in muddy grass. Weapon ready to strike, the blade shimmered tauntingly at the giant. She smirked. "…..For your information, My mother is not Aphrodite, you ogre…." She pulled one of her sleeve jacket down, her bracelet gleamed. The giant's glowing eyes went wide.

"…No….No! you are the one they're looking for!" He choked on his words. Lysandra frowned. Remembering the goddesses' warning about monsters would be looking for her. So it's true after all. They were coming for her, maybe that was why this cannibal was on the loose in a city such Gotham.

"Whatever do you mean, Giant. Cause I'm going to cut you head off now…." She gripped her dagger, ready to jump for finishing blow.

But before she could, she heard something fired at her, and suddenly a sling came. Wrapped it around her body from behind and pulled her backward. Lysandra stumbled back, almost fell down but her legs planted firmly and dug into the mud. She cursed as struggling with the wire that restrained her arms to her body.

"Sorry, sugar. But No one will cut off anyone's head tonight" A new voice came from behind. Lysandra turned around furiously at the source but her heart almost stopped when she saw the newcomers.

Two of her father's famous protégés emerged from the shadow of the woods.

_Beware of the birdboy._

She almost screamed.

"Damn it! NO!"

* * *

They heard the scream pierced through the rain when they reached the edge of the wood. Dick had his Eskrima sticks ready as Tim pulled out his own collapsible Bo staff. Stalking through the trees deeper, they found the gruesome sight of what Tim was sure was Human. The crimson of blood was painted everywhere, on the tree trunks, it mixed in with the mud on the grass created a deeper shade of maroon ground.

They carefully walked, avoiding stepping whatever….whoever this used to be before gotten ripped apart and cut open. Tim grimaced at the horrid sight, and he taught seeing a lifeless body with gaping hole in the chest was bad….This brought a new meaning to the word _gruesome_ in his dictionary.

Both of them switched to night vision lenses when another girly cry shot through the air, looked like the perp wasn't finish with his hunt. Surveying surrounding for a minute, before got a vision of two live bodies in the lawn about thirty feet away. Clearly one was on top of the other, he could see the smaller body was struggling under, probably to get away. Tim signaled Dick.

He switched back to normal lenses, as they rushed through the trees again but before they reached the opened lawn, another scream wailed through the night, a male one this time. When Dick and him finally reached the edge of tree shadow, both bodies were already separated.

A very tall man was clutching his throat, something dark seemed to be gushing out from his neck. Tim guessed it was blood. His eyes _glowed_ yellow. He was screaming. "…No….No! you are the one they're looking for!"

With the back to them, a dark hair girl got up and grounded her fighting stance. Her clothed soaked through, Tim spotted the blood streaming out from several of her cuts on her exposing legs, she was wearing a pair of shorts, hem of her wet jacket reached almost the end of them, making a questionable look as if she actually wearing anything under. A gleaming dagger soaked in her right hand, Her voice was clear, as if she had not been screaming, but he was sure it was one and the same when she spoke.

"Whatever do you mean, Giant. Cause I'm going to cut you head off now…."

Tim reached out fast, his hand automatically shot out the restraining wire, it swung and wrapped around her body, He pulled and it clutched her both arms to her torso in one single swift. He pulled again, purposing to have her stumbled backward, or in any case that what people usually did. But Tim knew she forced the pull by planting her feet to the ground. She heard her curse. Seem like this girl was stronger than he gave her credit for.

"Sorry, sugar. But No one will cut off anyone's head tonight" Dick and him stalked out from the shadow. Their weapon ready in their hands, the girl turned and his voice and went tensed.

_Well hell…._

Her round eyes went widen, Tim couldn't make it if it was green or blue under little light that was provided from afar. Her dark hair was wet, strands fell from loosen ponytail framing her delicate feature.

She was very pretty, more than pretty. It didn't go well with her decapitating remark earlier, how could a girl like her said such violent thing.….

"Damn it! NO!"

The girl screamed as she struggled to get out of the cable that warped around her body. Tim almost winced for her when he saw the blood streaking down from the gash on her thigh. He held the cable tight that linked her to him in his hand, feeling like holding a leash of a big bad dog. For an injured with a slender body, she sure had a lot of energy left.

Even his testosterone was raging, wanting him to admire the girl in front of him more, but his calm façade wouldn't waver. Tim wouldn't let it. He blinked and tightened his grip on the cable again.

_No distraction! _

"Chill, sugar. We've got this" he heard Dick said as they both approached her.

"Let go of me, before I made you regret it!" She yelled and pulled her restraining body back. Tim almost leaned forward from the tug. _Yep, Strong female. Maybe not meta-human level strong but still…._

But before anyone could do anything, the tall man charged at them. He roared with his both arm spread out, ignoring the wound that blood still pouring out, purposely to tackle the three of them to the ground in one movement.

"Holy shit!" Dick cursed and dodged. At the same time Tim shoved the girl away to the side before covered her with his body as they rolled away on the wet grass.

"Get off me, you brute!" She yelled and butthead him hard, he saw stars. Quickly rolled away from him for her weapon that she apparently dropped.

"I was trying to help you!" Tim said clutching his bruised forehead.

"You better worried about your friend than me, that giant's going to tear him to pieces soon…" She hissed as she successfully grabbed her dagger and maneuvered the blade at the cable wire, she did so routinely as if she was trained for this. Cutting it, freeing her body.

_Giant?_

He heard Dick's yelp and turned around to see the tall man just slashed his sharp nails at his adopt brother, the material of his suit torn opened in the chest and the blood sprayed out.

"Damn Mortals, asking for their deaths….I shall oblige!" He slashed at Dick again but he dodged and slammed his stick on the guy's temple, charging electricity into him. But it didn't seem to help much, he only staggered away a bit instead gone unconscious.

"What the….!?" Dick cursed and flipped away, Tim ignored the girl for now and charge the tall man instead. He dropped down and slammed his Bo staff hard his legs, But the tall man didn't even budge. Instead, he grabbed the other end of his staff, pulled Tim in and slashed his claws across Tim's chest.

Before he could even register from the pain, the tall man lifted him up and threw him. He flew away as if he was as light as a pillow and slammed himself to Dick who was about to charge. They both yelped, and clashed to the ground. The tall man stalked his way to them, yellow eyes glowed with menace. _What the hell is this guy? Some kind of metahuman?_

"Hey, you ogre!" He heard the girl said, and the man stopped and turned. Tim saw it with a blur as him and Dick struggled to their feet, She jumped on the guy's back before grabbed his hair, without hesitation she silt his throat. Brown blood sprayed.

The man should have die from that alone but only more blood gushed out, he still moving. He grabbed her and threw the girl in their direction, her body slammed into both him and Dick. They all cried out from the impact as they all clashed into the ground again.

"_What_ the hell is this guy?!" Dick asked as the three of them scrambled to their feet. The man seemed to be in pain from the cut on his throat, he wailed in pain, holding the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. At least he didn't seem to pay attention to them at the moment "You just slit his throat and he still walk about!"

"A giant, that's what" She hissed, pulled her arm back when Tim tried to help her up.

"A _what_?" Both Dick and Tim asked at the same time. The girl narrowed her eyes at them, as if they just asked the stupidest question.

"…A giant, Laistrygonian Giant to be exact, you know…tall, glowing yellow eyes, sharp claws, cannibal…" She said, rubbed her elbowed from the side that still holding her gleaming dagger. "….if you came from that direction, you just met his dinner…or what's left of it"

"A Laistrygonian Giant, as in Greek Mythology?" Dick raised his eyebrow.

"He ate _people_?" Tim's voice seemed to be higher than usual.

"Did you miss the part when I said _Cannibal_?" She looked even more irritated. "He won't die just because I slit his jugular, And I did stabbed him twice there already, he will just keep regenerate. I need to cut his head off. Or burn him to ash…"

"No one kills anyone on our watch, sugar….there must be the other way" Dick argued.

"Are you stupid? Did you see what's left of his dinner over there?" She almost yelled at them but seemed to force herself in the last minute not to. "And don't call me sugar or I will punch you in the face"

"Aw, come on now, suga…..!"

Without hesitating she punched him across the jaw with her left hand. Dick yelped. But the girl looked a little bit more satisfied. "…call me _Sugar_ again, it will be my right hook…" She turned to Tim who still stunned from the act earlier. "….now, since you seem to be more sensible one of the two, eventhough he's your senior….you either stay out of my way, so I can finish him. Or you will help me kill him….whatever you choice, He must be destroyed. He won't stop finding new food if you let him alive, and you won't be able to contain him, no one can…."

Tim blinked at her, they were standing so close now. He could see her face so clearly, her high cheekbones and round eyes, her lips were cut but still making him want to use his thump brushing on it. His mind seemed to stop working, but when she narrowed her eyes at him again. Tim pulled himself back and cleared his throat. _Damn teenage hormones!_

"I can't just let you kill him, it's against the law"

"Your mortal laws do not cover mythology creatures, don't they?"

True, they didn't. But he couldn't just let this girl chop the guy's head off, he didn't even want to believe that this guy was a giant, he was taller than average person, yes. And they saw the human remain but opened nearby. But still….how can he let a girl decapitate someone on their watch? What if Bruce, the batman knew about this? They would be in serious trouble.

"Look, Bird boy…." She said after glancing at the giant who still wailing in pain, ignoring their little chat, still waiting for his throat to heal. She crossed her arms, still holding the dagger, "….I know I'm in your territory and all but you can't let him live. And don't feel sorry for him, even after I kill him, which I must. He won't really die, his body will disperse, his soul go back to Underworld, he would serve his sentence and reform new body there…."

"Are you saying he will be resurrected?" Dick rubbed his bruised jaw.

"Not exactly but yes" She gazed back to the wailing Giant who started cursing in ancient language. "….I have to do what I must, or else he will tract me down and kill me. Or worse, he will track me down with others and capture me…." Tim saw she hugged herself tighter. Looked away from him. "….I have things to do. I cannot let them capture me, yet…"

Tim shared a look with Dick, but the girl seemed to lose her patience then. She let out a frustrating grunt, turned away and stalked toward the giant. Her hand gripped tighter at hilt of her dagger.

"Wait!…." Tim called out but before she even reached the man, something happened.

Lighting blasted across the dark sky and struck the giant. He screeched.

The impact blew the girl backward, she flew and slammed her body against Tim. White light showered the area before the man started shrieking in agony, he was on fire. Less than a minute his voice was gone, body crumbled to the ground. The area where he stood was burn, when the body hit the grass, it sizzled and the fire dying away from the remaining rain on wet lawn.

No one said anything, not even Dick who Tim was sure his eyes went wide as big as Easter eggs. The girl gasped at the sight, before she looked up in the sky. Tim watched her. She looked even angrier than before.

"That was _my_ kill!...Mine!" She screamed into the sky, as if yelling at someone. "You have no right to take that away after I fought him! You cannot!"

To Tim's surprised the sky rumbled as if to answer her. He noticed the blood seep from the cut on her throat. He reached forward.

"You're injured…." But She flinched away. Shealthing her dagger.

"Don't touch me, mortal…" She hissed.

"Hey, now suga…I mean you…." Dick stopped himself in time. He caught a glare from her. "…You need medical attention, I will get you to hospital, alright?"

"I don't need help. Especially from _his_ people" She said, stalked away so fast toward the edge of the trees line. Neither Dick nor Tim pursued her further.

"We need to call the police for the body…." Dick suggested and stalked away clicking his commlink, contacting The Oracle. A few minute later, he walked back. Pat Tim on the shoulder, "You okay, bro?..."

Tim knew Dick meant about him seeing a gruesome body, some memories from his parents' deaths flickering behind his eyes. But he pushed it away further back in his mind, Tim nodded. "Yeah…."

"We need to call Batman, this might involve the recent serial killings. He will want the details….." Dick said, winced from the cuts on his chest. "Damn…how the hell that girl still walk away without limping?..."

Tim agreed, after the rush of event passed his body started to remind him that he was slashed with sharp claws across the chest as well, not including the aching pain from getting throw around like a bouncing ball. "…..I put a tracker on her when I helped her up,…." He pulled out his PDA and checked the screen, "….She seemed to be heading toward China Town, I will put an alert if she changed the location…."

Dick patted him again on the shoulder, Tim's eyes still glued to his PDA when he heard the police siren. The blinking red dot moved across town and stopped at one of the resident area in China Town. It didn't move anywhere for a while. Tim let out a sigh, telling himself maybe he'd check on her again tomorrow. After all, her injuries were much worse than both of them combined.

* * *

Lysandra wasn't sure how she got home. Fury was still burning behind her eyes, but the pain on her body made she stumbled across the living room as she made her way to her bedroom.

Stripping off her clothes, let them slide on the floor, not caring about them for the time being, she winced from the deep cuts when the soaking fabric rubbed pass them. Lysandra dizzily walked to her small bathroom, stepped into the shower stall and let the lukewarm stream washed away the blood and warm her body from the cold rain. She gritted her teeth all the while. Wishing silently to have a tub she could submerge under water like she used to do after long day of training.

She stopped her wishful thinking of Themyscira, washing away the dirt from her wounds and the sensation from the contact that made her skin crawl earlier. Scrubbed her body with Soap and her hair with shampoo. Ignoring the searing pain from her side, inspected the large bruise, probably from hitting tree. Scrapes on the back of her thighs, as well as few shallow cuts.

She stayed under the rushing stream until she felt her skin started to wrinkled. Lysandra stepped out. Snatched the fluff towel from the drying rod wrapped it around her body and stumble her way back inside her bedroom.

Lysandra fell on to bed, ignoring her wet hair. She knew her body would shut down soon so it could start self-healing. Her eye lids were heavy and she rolled on the pink comforter on to her bruised body, not caring to put on pajamas.

Sudden realization hit her. Her father's protégés had known about her. They might not know who she was but they know of her existent now.

_Beware of the birdboy._

The goddess's word echoed in her mind. She cursed her luck.

She rolled on to her side and closed her eyes, secured her comforter over her body as if it was a shield. She was too tired, too exhausted. Fighting the urge to sleep wasn't a good idea at the moment.

_I will deal with them later when I woke and healed._ She thought.

Lysandra let sleep claimed her, wishing she wouldn't dream about anything or anyone. She was granted.

* * *

Bruce did not do Daydreaming. _The Batman_ did not do Daydreaming.

He told himself that every time he was back in The Justice League meeting room. Once a month, he agreed to be back up here for the founder meeting, letting Superman pat him on the shoulder, let J'onn sent him sympathetic glance, or even let Flash hummed _Like a virgin_, during the meeting. He wasn't the type to need to be around people. He liked being alone, brooding or whatever people called it. But it was for letting the memories of certain someone assaulted him endlessly as he sat in silence throughout the meet.

His blue eyes behind the white lenses always found the empty chair beside the man of steel. His mind drifted away, not paying much attention to the details of the meeting, He would read the logs later, he didn't care much as his heart squeezed tight at the sight of the empty chair.

Wonder Woman's chair. Diana's chair.

The six of them silently agreed not to take it away, instead let it sat there as if she was always with them. As if she was sitting there nodding eagerly at Superman's words, or like sometimes when she thought he wasn't looking at her, she would glance his way, smiling.

Once a month he allowed himself to sink into the memories of her. Remembering the short time they had, the time he was happy once again after his parent's murders, then that short-lived happiness was gone. She left him. Just like his parent.

Oh, how his heart hurt. But maybe it was for the better, Diana was home, where she would be happy with her mother, among her sisters. Not in constant pain causing by his insecurity. He told himself after he gave up the idea of searching for Paradise Island. For years he tried. Maybe her gods were in agreement of keeping him away from her. Protect her from him. It was for the better.

"Oracle to Batman." Barbara's voice boomed into his commlink. The channel used only between people in the bat family. He clicked and responded. "Batman here."

The room pulsed and stopped discussing as if they knew, Superman's eyes were on him. Concerning. Bruce stood, and turned away.

"….There's a situation. A homeless guy found dead in Robinson Park…." Barbara replied back, her voice was heavy with something Bruce could tell.

"The same like recent murders?"

"…maybe. He was ripped open, Batman. Eaten alive…..Nightwing and Robin fought the perp, he died."

"_They_ killed the murderer?" His heart thudded. _No, no…not this._

"No, Batman….." She pulsed for a moment. "….The guy was struck by a lightning, burn to ash."

"A _what_"

"…..A Lightning…"

* * *

"Batman, Wait!" Familiar voice called after him after he quickly excusing himself out of the meeting. He didn't have to turn around to see who was following him. Superman rushed after him. He ignored the man of steel, telling Mr. Terrific to punch in transport destination.

"…I don't have time for this, Superman" He said, stepping on the platform.

"Is it another body?" He asked, damn his reporter instinct. The serial killing news had reached nationwide when the third body was found.

"Yes but it might be irrelevant case altogether…." He muttered, "What do you want?"

His friend's blue eyes flickered with concern, "….If you needed the league to help…."

"Gotham is _my_ responsible, therefore _I _can handle it" He cut him off. Nodding his head to Mr. Terrific, signaling he was ready. He said before materialized,

"Go home to your wife, Clark. Go home to your children…." _To a life I'd never have._

* * *

He made it to Robinson Park not long after, Rushing through the wet ground. The Police's siren lights coated the area surrounded it in red and blue tinges. Forensic team processing the ground as he crossed the yellow tape, Commissioner Gordon looked very displeased, Dick and Tim with him, waiting for his arrival.

The older gentleman didn't say anything but walked away, two body bags were carted out of the area. Bruce guessed they belonged to the victim and the murderer. Both Dick and Tim limped toward him.

"Why you didn't contact me sooner?" He forced his voice to stay as calm as possible as he said to Dick. Eyeing both of their injuries, cuts and bruises were visible in sight.

"Because, We were just checking out at first….then the fight breakout and we were trying to stop this girl from the idea of decapitating the perp…" Dick's voice showed irritation. But Bruce cut him off.

"_What_ girl?"

"She was attacked by the same guy when we got here…." Tim said before Dick could continue."…..She survived, not seriously injured."

"Did she have connection to the victim?"

"No, she was just passing by…." Tim replied, "….she fought back, then we stepped in, we fought the perp. Suddenly BOOM. The lightning blasted him to ash. And here we are"

Bruce eyed his current Robin, the cuts on his chest were shallow but the bruises on his face were visible. Dick on the other hand, seemed to get deeper cuts, but less bruises. Still, they injured in his absence.

"Again, why you didn't contact me sooner?"

"No time to…" Dick said, shrugged but winced from his injuries.

"Go get your wounds tend, I will meet you both at the cave" He ordered.

"And, what are you going to do?" Dick asked, raised an eyebrow.

"I will get the details from Gordon….Barbara mentioned the victim was eaten alive?"

"Yep, ripped open in the open like carcass…."

Bruce pulsed, the M.O. are different, maybe it was nothing connected to the recent killings. But never hurt to get the information. He nodded his head. "….Go, both of you. I will meet you at the cave…."

"Aw, Batman if I didn't know better, I thought you'd actually _care_" Dick grinned at him smugly but He stalked away without a word.

* * *

"Why did you lie to him about the girl?" Dick questioned him when they reached the place where they both parked their motorcycles.

Shrugging, Tim replied. "….She seemed to recognize who we are, and seem to not wanting our help because of it… "

"And…..?"

"And I want to know why….maybe she's hiding something"

Dick raised an eyebrow at him and grinned. "Why, brother. If I didn't know better I would say you are interested in her…."

"I am interesting in her interest" Tim corrected. "She seemed to know what that creature was and know out to destroy it…." He pulsed. "….Don't you want to know?"

"Riiiight, but not that much to lie to _The Batman_….."

Tim shrugged again as he climbed on his motorcycle. Telling himself he was just curious about her and that was all. She was almost like a puzzle he wanted to solve. Nothing to do with his teenage hormones that seem to appreciate her more than he would like.

* * *

A tall man with glowing eyes watched the mortal polices rushed around the park. He cursed his brother silently as he saw the second body bag was carted out. He was killed by a lightning, burn to ash. Probably because of his action, even he had warned him not to feed of mortal in public, he brother went and did anyway, resulting his death.

But at least, the demigod they were looking for had been unearthed.

He turned and walked away in excitement, rushing to the dark street before materialized inside a luxury penhouse, he nodded at the guards. They opened the door for him, leading to the inner room.

There, a beautiful dark hair woman sat on the large so far, face the large glass window. Holding a glass of red liquid in her slender fingers, a pleasurable moaning escaped from the door nearby. She ignored it, so did him.

"What is it, Blasius?" She sipped her drink, crimson color of blood.

"Cordelia, We lost Bakchos, someone struck him to dusk after he went public feeding…." He reported to the woman. She didn't show any emotion, only swirl the liquid in her glass.

"Shame." She said, he knew she didn't even mean it. The bitch was colder than an iceberg. "…and?"

"We found the demigod, I got her scent, we can track her soon"

The statement made her turned around, smiled flashing in her dark eyes, she stood. Her silk robe swayed with her body as she seemed to glided to the closing door, swung it opened.

Blasius got a glimpse of other two beautiful woman, Caroline and Chloe, sisters of Cordelia. Both hovered over a naked man, his eyes glossed over, laying on the bed, moaning in pleasure as Caroline, the blond one, sucked on his opened wrist, crimson drop bled down from her lips. Chloe was the one who turned toward Cordelia first, wiped her mouth away of the blood.

"Sisters! Blasius found the bastard kid" Cordelia announced. Making Caroline stopped her motion in midair and looked up, the man groaned from the loss of her mouth. Cordelia ignored and continued "We will contact the Mistress soon…"

"Aww….meaning we can't enjoy Mark much longer…." Chloe protested.

"Shame, I rather like him…." Caroline shrugged and went back to do her sucking. Grounding her clothed body to him as she did. He moaned again, even paler than before.

Blasius almost grimanced. But instead, he stepped back, minding his own business. If the bitches liked to play with their food before they finished the job, he didn't care. As long as the job was done.

He walked away, getting himself ready, He had a demigod to hunt and his brother's death to avenge.

* * *

**Ps ::** Well, another chapter finished. This one's shorter than the last two chapters. I kinda lost my urge to continue for a bit after some anon said my story blows. Well, I know I can't please everyone. I just have to remind myself why I started writing it in the first place, I want to please myself. So I'm going to continue to write what I want, how I want it. Sorry that anon, if you dislike it then please move on the other stories on

I promise for action in the next chapter though. As Lysandra is about to find the artifact leading to the seal, but how can she get it when she will be hunted from the monsters?

Don't forget to review, Until the next chapter!


	12. 11 Greeks bearing gifts

A/N :: Still unbeta. So sorry for the really late update. I got injured at work and my right hand is not working as effective as it should. Hence I'm being slow at typing.

Also, Thank you so much for all the encouragements. Some of you commented as guest, so I couldn't PM you back. I give you this long chapter, since I was pretty late in updating. Hopefully it worth your wait!

* * *

**Chapter 11 :: Greeks bearing gifts**

_Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes - I fear the Greeks, even those bearing gifts._  
**- Aeneid (II, 49)**

Sunlight was scorching her face when she came to.

The morning sun bathed her, warmed her but also yanked her up by ear from her slumber. Lysandra pried one of her eye open before suddenly shut it tight for a few minutes because of the brightness and reopened both, blinking few times and the world became clear. The ceiling of her room came into view after her eyes adjusted. She sat up, her dark hair falling over her shoulder.

Rolling the comforter off, she looked down, towel still wrapped around her just like when she fell asleep. Lysandra stretched herself before got up and walked over to a full body mirror that sat next to the closet, skipped over her discarded clothes on the floor. All dried - Just how long did she sleep? Surely more than 12 hours. Slipped off the towel, she inspected herself, looking for injuries.

Lysandra stared at her own reflection in mirror, Blue eyes staring back. She looked well rest, not even a bag under her eyes. Her cut lips healed. Craning her neck, three slashes she got from the Giant's sharp nails were gone. Peered down to her bruises and other scrapes, gone as well, no black and blue spots, no scabs. She suspected that her ribs might have been bruised, a few bones fractured or broken but after swinging her upper body, testing. No pain was found. Her wounds knitted themselves back together. Her bruises healed. Her tan skin smoothed and glowed in the sun, Not even a single scar left on her body. Just like always. They all healed. As if injuries never occurred. A plus side of her blessing, one she was a tad grateful.

"Lysandra! "

Steve's voice and the knock on the door startled her. She flinched and stared at her closed door. He continued to pound on the door like a mad man. She frowned, still a little groggy from her slumber, loud noises always made her want to break down the door and punched people who was the source of them to the ground. No that Steve would know because he was still yelling from the other side of her wooden door,

"Lysandra! Are you awake?!"

Lysandra sighed. Picking up the towel on the floor, covered herself and answered. "I'm up!"

"Oh good….." There was pause. Then Steve spoke again. "….We need to talk before I'm going to work…"

She glanced over at the clock on the opposite wall. _11AM and Steve 's still here?_ She wondered what was so important that made the man interrupted his routine to have a chat with her. Maybe he finally discovered her night time activities…._Whoops_…

"….I will be out in a few minute!" She called back and opened her closet, grabbed underwear, a T-shirt and a pair of shorts. Before threw them on her body. Only took her less than five minutes and she was ready to dash out of the room, Lysandra turned around at her scattered clothes from previous night, brown blood stains still visible, the jacket tattered and ripped. She bit her bottom lip and decided to pick up her belt/dagger sheath, before fastened on her shorts before kicked the rest of her ruined clothed into the hamper nearby. She needed to get rid of them before Steve saw.

Opened the door, she suddenly spotted the stain on the floor. No, not stain. But blood drops, they already turned dark brown, led the trail from her bedroom door across the living room to the kitchen door that led to rooftop area. Her eyes caught the blond man sat on the white sofa, arms crossed, his blue eyes watched her.

Lysandra gulped. _Uh oh…._

"Please sit." His voice was calm. But storm shimmered in his blue eyes. She wasn't afraid of him, she knew that but she wasn't too stupid to get on the man's nerve now. So she glided over to club chair opposite from him, and dropped herself down. Leather covered cushion made awkward squeaky noise. Steve waited till she settled down, he continued. "Do you know how long you have slept?"

"Err…12 hours?"

"No, kid. You slept for _3 days_. Yes, That's right! THREE!" His calm façade broke. But seemed to hold himself back in time. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I woke up and saw blood trail leading to your bedroom door. I almost busted the door open when you didn't answer! But instead you were out cold, passed out like when you were in the clinic all over again! Do you know how worried I was? How I scared to death that I had failed your mother?"

Lysandra stared at him. Unbelieving of what she just heard.

"So this is about my mother then? You freak out because you were afraid you broke a promise with her?" She kept her voice cool. Anger erupted inside her for no reason.

"Damn it, kid! No!..." He threw his hands up in frustration. "…Well, yes, part of it because of that. But I was worried about you! You are just girl. I pretend not to say anything night after night from your late adventures but if it got you into harm's way then you need to stop!"

She blinked at the statement before stood up and lifted her chin. "You are _not _my father! Therefore you have no right to stop me from doing anything!"

"I am your _guardian_, Lysandra….I have every rights!" He stood as well, his height towering her, they only separated by a coffee table. "You are barely a child! I will not let anyone harm a kid like you on my watch!"

"Then you forgot something, Steve…..I am an _Amazon_…" She gritted the words out. Mentioning her lack of _normal_ childhood made her anger roared behind her eyes. "I played with real swords as a child not Barbie's doll house of rainbows!"

"You what?!"

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Hello, Amazons. My mother is one. You know, the woman you fell in love with because she was so beautiful, so strong. She flew in and save your ass in the middle of war, she threw a tank across the pacific like she pitched a ball…. That woman, you remember?"

"Language, young lady….and that's not -"

"Screw my language, Steve! You don't get it, do you?" Now she was the one who threw her hands up. "My mother was blessed with powers, even though I only got few useless divine gifts I was still trained to fight before they taught me how to read!"

Blew a frustrating breath out of her. She pushed the hair out of her face. Her anger swelled in her chest. Even knowing Steve was only worried for her but she didn't like it. She didn't like the fact that she almost glad she had someone who cared about her. But then what?...She didn't want to have it all taken away again the way Selia—No, Eris did. But she wasn't ready to spill the beans just yet. She looked at his handsome face, Steve was kind. He didn't have to take care of her. Heck, now that he had second life, he could even look for a woman of his own. Instead he took her in, taught her about things, care for her. Pang of guilt spread like wild fire, burning her anger, overtaking it. "….Look…..I'm sorry I made you worry. But as you can see, I am all healed. I always did"

"Still, that's not the point, kid. The point is that you went out and ran around every night to get yourself injured…." He rubbed his temple. And looked away from her. "Lysandra….While I understand your—task, mission, quest or whatever you called it, demanding you to go out there and do what you do. I expected you to be careful. I suppose to be your guardian, I suppose to protect you."

"The last person who tried to protect me, got blew up by a treacherous bitch." Her voice crisped. Fist formed a ball. Reminding herself with memories of Artemis and Epione gave a jabbing pain inside. "….I have things I need to do, Steve. Whether you damned well like it or not. This is my life now, So please deal with it….If I want someone to hover over my life the way you just did, I'd have gone to my father long time ago"

"First off, Language, young lady! Or no more R-Rate movies for you!"

"Oh! Com'on! They are all better when there're car chasing, plane hi-jacking and lot of fist fighting!"

Steve looked at her for a good five minutes. Then let out a sigh, a long frustrating sigh and shook his head.

"….Maybe you should see him, kid. He's your father after all….." He said, stepping closer to her and put his hands on her shoulder and squeezed.

Lysandra twisted herself away, giving silent disagreed to his statement.

"By the way, this letter was sent for you."

Steve let out another sigh, he lifted an envelope before tossed it on the coffee table, grabbed his bomber jacket and head to the front door. He didn't look back or say anything else. Lysandra glanced over her shoulder, seeing the blond man shut the front door.

As soon as the door clicked she jumped over the sofa and grabbed the envelope. Noticing a picture of an owl on the wax seal before ripped it open, Lysandra found note inside.

_Meet me at Forums of Twelve Caesars when you wake. _

There was no name inside. But she knew who sent her this letter. The owl on the wax seal was a pretty much giveaway. She clicked her tongue. Lysandra didn't like being summoned like a servant. Even someone who summoned you was a Goddess of wisdom herself.

A little rebellion kicked in as her eyes traveling along the stains of her blood. She chewed on her bottom lips and rushed over to kitchen to find a towel to clean up her own mess.

As if cleaning would make her forget she almost got ripped apart by a giant, it didn't help at all but she could pretend it did as long as she didn't see it. And making the Goddess wait was something she wanted.

Like Artemis used to tell her, she had a habit of pissing people off, even the gods themselves.

Lysandra grinned, started scrubbing her own blood off the carpet unconcernedly about how long she would take to finish.

* * *

Tim Drake almost dropped his monocular when he got a glimpse of the girl he'd been observing for the last three days. A very _naked_ glimpse of her backside. She wore nothing but a pair of silver bracelets.

_Down, boy!_  
Tim swallowed, ignoring his hormones that rushed from his brain down to the certain part of his body. He tried telling himself, why he was here, perching on the rooftop of the building across from hers like a stalker in the first place.

"You're just here to make sure she's alive and safe" He told himself, probably out loud before lifted the monocular to his eye once more.

The view of her glowing tan skin came into view again. Wondering why in the world she didn't even bother to shut the curtain in her room. But that was his luck then, he caught a sight of her the next day after the attack in Robinson Park through the uncovered windows of her room.

His mind traveling back to the event right after Bruce got back to the Batcave. Dick was lucky, he slipped away in time not to catch Bruce. But Tim, not so much. Alfred still tending his bruise on his back side and checking his ribs with X-Ray to make sure he didn't break anything inside when Bruce went batshit crazy(literary) on him because Tim didn't contact Bruce before things hit the fan.

"You could have die, Tim. I saw the remains of that homeless man. He could have killed you and Dick" His baritone voice was low and full of disapproval as his speech went on and on. Tim decided not to be stupid and argued back. So he just shut up and listened. In the end, His punishment was suspending from active duty for a week until he recovered. Batman would fly solo without his sidekick for a week. (Though he wouldn't be, technically he still had Barbara. Or if he wasn't so pissed at Dick anymore, he could still asked his former protégé to help, though Tim wouldn't count on it)

He furrowed but accepted. Tim had something else in mind planned anyway. And being suspended from Patrolling was actually benefiting him than not.

So the next day after Bruce left for his meeting at Wayne Tech. Tim jumped out of bed and checked his PDA. The tracking device was still on and not moving from the same spot in China town. Without school because it was still summer break, he decided to check out the place after his brunch.

After parking his motorcycle a few buildings away, he made his way up by the next building, didn't expected to find her at his first try but he did. Through the lenses of his monocular, he got a vision of her bedroom, her sleeping form was visible for anyone to see through those uncovered window panes.

His heart dropped a little when he saw how still she slept but after a few hours she rolled over to her side but still sleeping. He knew she was very much alive.

Tim knew that should be it. He knew that she was safe, and it was time to walk away. Instead, the next day after the heartless body of Mark Handerson showed up in a dumpster behind East End Police Station made the Morning News. Tim found himself came back to this exact same spot, with a foldable chair, his summer homework and his faithful monocular. She was still in her bed, comforter wrapped around her like a shield.

And here he sat, watched her sleeping form like a guard dog (Or stalker, depend on how you see it) waiting patiently for her to wake up.

He doubted those serial murders had anything to do with wanting to make sure the girl was still alive. Tim told himself it was because she mentioned of being hunted. And with that good heart full with morals of his, refused to let her fell victim of kidnapping.

Now. There she was, up and awake. Her tan skin glowed under the touch of sunlight and Tim frowned.

There was no bruises or cut on her body, the cuts on her legs that should have been there weren't. The bruises on her shoulder and back side weren't there either. No injuries. Nothing at all but a healthy glow of her leaned body. Her straight black hair swung as she moved, looked like she was also checking herself for injuries in the mirror like he did as well.

_Rapid healing factor?_ He thought_. Interesting_.

So the girl might be a metahuman. Maybe an alien? No. She had knowledge of mythology, most likely there was some kind of magic involved. Magic users could heal themselves, either way. She was not just an ordinary teenage girl.

_Aw, hell._ Bruce wouldn't like it one bit, If he found out there was some unknown metahuman running around in his city. No, he wouldn't like it at all.

So another hour later when his PDA beeped, Alerting him that the tracker was moving away, he saw the girl came out from entrance building in her bright red t-shirt, a pair of shorts that showed her leaned legs and a bag pack swung against her back, her silver bracelets gleamed under the sunlight. He ignored his silent appreciation by the way her body glided through the crowds in china town. Tim picked up his stuffs and silently stalked after her.

* * *

Noise of traffic assaulted her ears as soon as she reached the surface from subway tunnel. After Lysandra spent half an hour scrubbing her blood stains on shinny floor of her apartment then took a shower, she finally made her way, casually to the forums of Twelve Caesars at Robinson Park.

Lysandra rounded the corner and crossed the street, picked up her pace as she entered the park. Memories of recent near death event of being slaughtered by a vicious giant skimming in her mind, making her walked on the walkway what was packed by people instead of cutting through the trees. Lysandra got the glimpse of yellow Police tape that surrounded the incident area. The burn mark on green lawn reminding her of the lightning strike, making her paused for a moment. Her mind drifted to the encounter, prompted her to remember that she had another problem to worry about, those two lackeys of her father.

Would they tell her father about her? Not that they would know who she really was, of course.

Lysandra bit her lips but then shook her head. No need to worry about it now, she would deal with them when the time arrived, hopefully they'd kept their mouths shut because she would hate to cut those tongues off from those pretty mounts.

The large columns stood methodically in the open lawn came into her sight, leading the way up to the stone mausoleum where underneath and the structure around were tombs dedicated to Gotham's finest. Afternoon sun blazed down from above. For some reason, Lysandra noticed that nobody came close in this particular area. The park was always packed in the nice afternoon like this, she wonder if the flow of mystical energy she felt might have something to do with it. Looking up at arches and Dome-like structure, she scrunched her nose.

"Those damned knock off Romans….." Lysandra murmured, the corner of her mouth still curve down in displeasure. Even though she was never fond of Queen Hippolyta, her grandmother or those Amazon sisters. But Lysandra considered herself Amazon through and through. She admired her heritage of all female warriors, the Idealist and the combat trainings. And since she was little, Artemis had taught her too many tales about how the Romans kidnapped, slaughtered and raped the Amazons. Their treachery only right beneath Heracles's.

The thought stopped when wave of mystical energy rippled in the air as she stepped closer. It hummed in her ears, letting her know the Goddess who waited, wasn't much in a good mood. Lysandra pressed her lips together, trying to suppress a smirk, she marched up to the stone steps.

Lysandra pushed the glass door opened, and as soon as she passed the threshold, Familiar voice called out.

"Finally decide to join me, girl? How nice of you"

Mystic energy surged fast and hit her in the face almost made Lysandra stumbled back. Clearly the lady of Wisdom was not humor with her one bit.

The Goddess stood with her back to Lysandra, facing the bust of Julius Caesar. She wore gray pant suit. As slightly turning her face back, Lysandra caught a small sneer on her lips. Not sure whether it was for her or Julius Caesar.

"Lady Athena" Lysandra bent her knees and bowed her head and kept her stance. But after a long silence, Lysandra lifted her eyes up to the goddess. The sneer was gone but the cold gray eyes was still locked on her. Questioning, Lysandra raised one of her eyebrow. The goddess gave her one last look and waved her hand dismissing Lysandra from the position.

"Thank you" Lysandra said with a relief sigh. Lifting herself up.

"Such a rebellion child you are" The goddess said turned back to the bust of Julius Caesar, hands clasped together at the small of her back, Athena continued. "….I'm starting to wonder what made you this way. Was it that mortal's genes in you or was it your mother's people who had raised you…"

Lysandra chewed on her bottom lips, her brows knitted together from the goddess's words. But didn't say a word, letting Athena continued this one side conversation. "…knowing the Amazons, I'm thinking it might be both" She sighed, turned back around. Giving Lysandra a long look with those cold steel eyes of her. Lysandra held her gaze and didn't back down.

"Back in the old days, little girl. I'd have you burn at this spot, or changed you into some animal. Maybe a mule? Such fitting for someone like you, eh?…."

_Did she just compare me to a goddamned mule? An offspring of male donkey and female horse? Is she making joke? _

Lysandra gritted her teeth, not sure she should laugh at the joke or snort from her attempt of trying to make one. But the goddess still kept going.

"….First you mother, corrupted by this polluted outside world…by that…._mortal_…" She sneered. "Diana, our proud champion, _My champion_. Now I was left with her arrogant little offspring with that - that human! - " Throwing her hands up in frustration. "- Olympus is in chaos, We cannot find Eris, and you -" She turned back to Lysandra whose face tightened. " – little halfblood who like to run into trouble!"

"Look, lady. If you want my mother, you should ha-"

Lysandra didn't have a chance to finish. A surge of power slammed into her, she flew several feet backward, unseen hand pinned her by the throat to the opposite wall, leaving her dangling above the floor, hands flailing.

"I am not done talking!" The goddess roared at her and another wave of power rippled through the air, hitting her right in the face. The goddess never moved from her spot. Unseeing hand gripped her harder, squeezing her windpipe, choking her. "Remember who you talk to, little girl. I am not your friend, I am your patroness. I am a Goddess!"

Unwanted tear threatening to shed from behind her eyes, Lysandra forced herself not to. The pain in her throat screamed at her, she could feel air was leaving her lung. She was about to be choking to death.

_I will not afraid. I will be calm. I will breath._

Chanting in her mind. Tears brimming. Lysandra knew it wasn't out of fear. _But it hurt like Hades!_ Her body wasn't listening when it was threating by a sheer force of power. It involuntarily went panic, somehow this was different from when she got herself in dangerous situations in the path, by choice or not. This time, Athena's power rippled and lashed at her. She could feel anger, rage and fury clawing at her skin, if they'd been claws, she'd probably been ripped to ribbons by now. Together with unseen force that squeezed hard on her throat causing the lack of air. _Not helping._

It reminded her, how helpless, how she was now at the goddess's mercy. A little more force, she could have snapped her neck without even taken another step.

It reminded her she was just a human in Athena's eyes. She was disposable.

"How many time I have to tell you, your mother is not available until her curse is lifted?! Do you think I would not to it if I could by now?" Athena went on with her rant, she started pacing. "This is more than just Eris being herself anymore. There're people who aid her, but I cannot do anything because I am a goddess, I cannot interfere with what the fates have play out unless it offend me directly! Ugh, this is so frustrating than Trojan war!"

Right when Lysandra was sure she was going to die from the lack of air, the goddess stopped pacing and turned to her. Gray eyes of her met blue ones of Lysandra. The choke on her throat was gone, her body slammed back on marble floor, she coughed for breath. It took several minutes before Lysandra could stand up straight again. She rubbed her throat that probably bruised though it would heal itself in no time.

"Come here, little girl….." Athena inclined her head. Lysandra feet marched forward without wasting time all on their own, a second later she was standing in front of the goddess.

Athena was taller than her, not as tall as her mentor – Artemis, but still tall for a woman. Lysandra only met her chin. Her gray eyes full of unyielding knowledge, but that the same time cold and hard like steel that could make you bleed. Lysandra knew she should not meet her gaze directly, but she did so out of sheer anger alone from got choked in midair.

Long fingers grabbed her chin, cold just like her eyes. Athena titled her face left to right as if to inspect the damage she caused before speak again. Her fingers still hold Lysandra's chin "Such fire in your eyes….burning with so much anger, more than a little youngling such as you should"

_Yeah well, try being me for the last seventeen years, you might get the idea._ Lysandra said in her mind defiantly. Because she knew saying it out loud would cause her another shake up.

To her surprise, Athena released her chin. Chuckled softly "I agree, little girl. You are getting smarter by not saying anything to offend me…." She gave one last look before stepped back from Lysandra, pivoting away.

"…..there're so much to be done, so little time and you are running out of it…" She pulled a manila envelope out from inside of her jacket. Lysandra raised her brow from the size of it, impossibly couldn't be fit in there but she decided not raise her point, knowing this was a goddess she was standing in front of.

She handed the thick manila envelope to her. Lysandra took and opened it. Inside, she found photographs, disturbing ones. She looked back up at the goddess, Athena nodded telling her to continue as she watched her.

Lysandra examined them one by one for a while she didn't understand, until she finished the whole stack. Something clicked inside her and she reexamined them all again.

There were photographs of four young men, lifeless, pale, drained of life, laying in the pile of garbage, some in dumpsters, all of them had gaping hole in their chests where Lysandra knew was supposed to be their hearts. But one thing that caught her attention was three legs asterisk symbols that were craved on each of them, in the center of their chests. She recognized it from her studies.

Lysandra looked up to the goddess, "….Mark of Hecate…."

"Yes, as I was afraid…." Athena said coolly, her calmness was back in place, Lysandra almost couldn't tell she was about to explode a moment ago. But her amusement could wait, things just turned even sourer than before. "….but Hecate has no knowledge of this…"

"How do you know?"

"I asked her myself" Athena said with unamused tone. "We are gods, little girl. You know we cannot lie….though some of us are good at twisting the truth to sooth their purposes, very good at it" She added when Lysandra raised her brow again.

"These are recent murders in a little bit over a month here, in Gotham City…." Athena turned her back to Lysandra, arm crossed over her chest. "Someone is going around killing these young men as sacrifices….or food….or for both…."

Her tone trailed over as if to let Lysandra catch the meaning of it. She frowned, looking back down at the photos, then snapped back up.

_Attractive young men, pale from the drain of blood, heartless, Mark of Hecate, food, blood….._

"Empousa" Almost whispering out her answer. Athena nodded, confirming her.

Empousa were three daughters of goddess Hecate and the spirit Mormo. They liked to seduce young men, coupling with them while feeding on their blood and later eating their hearts. Aeons ago, the three sisters went on slaughter spree, they fed on any young men they came across, because they thought they were mothered by the goddess and any deeds would go unpunished. But one day, out of sheer stupidity and arrogant, the three sisters decided to made a meal out of the priest of Athena's temple in Athens. Tainted the man with lust before eating him in her temple. Enrage, the goddess brought the issue straight to Olympus. Hecate who was embarrassed by the act of her daughters, banished them with ferocity. Cursed their once beautiful faces to ugly donkey-like. They could never again entered Olympus and must travel around mortal lands, but they could not feed indiscriminately anymore, They were only allowed to kill 12 victims a year, one per month just to keep them alive. And no one never touched them because they were demigods, killing them meaning cutting the gods sentence short, the goddess'd wanted them to roam the earth for eternity hungrily.

But they had killed four just over a month?

Lysandra swallowed "….but this has nothing to do with me, m'lady. My quest is to find Artifact that will lead me to the seals…."

"It does now"

"How is that?"

"Because I said so" The goddess answered unmelancholy. Lysandra only stared at her in disbelieve. Athena gave her a stare that made a chill ran down her spine. "….you must find them and send them back to Tartarus as the payment for me helping you finding the artifact"

"Excuse me?" Lysandra almost threw the folder down to the ground and stomp all over it just to show how much tantrum she could cause, but again held herself back in time remembering her body hanging in midair, choking to death. She cleared her throat and started again. "…..when you asked me to do this, I thought you offered to give me the clue of where the thing is, you never said anything about payment…"

Athena let out exasperating sound. "….Sorry, little girl, but nothing is free in this world"

"You have no idea how much you sound like Steve just now….." She narrowed her eyes at Lysandra's words.

"Listen to that man, he's wiser than you might gave him credit to, beside he knew it first handed" Athena crossed arms over her chest and took steps back though her eyes still on Lysandra. "….you do know what they say _Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes_."

"_Beware of Greeks bearing gifts._ Figured." Lysandra shook her head. She should have known, The gods and their bargaining, They never lend, give, aid anyone out of generosity. Out of amusement, maybe. But most of the time, they wanted something in return, something that would profit them. And Athena, she should have known that something like this would happen.

"Are you sure I can kill them and send them to Tartarus? I thought Hecate had sentenced -"

"Yes, little girl. You shall slit their throats, stab their hearts or burn them to ashes for all I care, I wanted them in Tartarus, all three of them. Hecate had no say in this anymore, she left them to my mercy as soon as they broke her sentence, those whores shall pay the price for breaking it" Athena's voice laced with anger, Lysandra forced herself not to shake from the ripple of her power in the air.

When it settled down Athena spoke again "You should be thankful, this task will show you your worth to us, you might not notice but you're not officially our champion, No god haves claim you as theirs. This task will let them see your strength, your worth to us as we watch upon Olympus…..But do not worry, I shall send you help. You won't work alone…."

"Please, not another gift -"

"Not an option, little girl" She warned then pulled a plain white envelope out of her jacket, handing it to her. Lysandra stuck the folder under her arm before opened the envelope, finding two tickets for Ancient Greek exhibition at Gotham Museum of Antiquities. Athena started again. "…..the two of you will work together finding those whores, I don't care how you convince him but I assure you, you _will_ need his help"

"But who-"

The goddess held up one finger told her to hush. "I am not done talking." She glared down at Lysandra whose mouth snapped shut on its own. "….You will work together, and because he's a mortal, unlike you who was touched by divine powers, he won't be able to see those little strumpets' true form. Not that I would care as long as they are dead but if you wanted to make the job easier, you could let him have some of your essence into his body, that will give him ability to share your power for certain period of time. You will not without any reason, sabotage him in order to finish this by yourself or you will feel my wrath, Are we clear, little girl?"

"Yes, m'lady. But what about my task to find the artifact?" Lysandra didn't want to admit but she'd waited long enough as it is just for the exhibition alone, and if this task would delay the chance to break her mother's curse-

"As I said, do not worry. You and him shall go to that exhibition tomorrow, and I assure you, every pieces of the puzzle shall fall into places."

Lysandra inclined her head reluctantly "May I ask one more question? Who is it? You said _him_, is it Steve?"

"No…" Her voice trailed off, pivoting away again. She glance over her shoulder and continued "….He's your father's current protégé. Who about to walk in here in less than five minutes"

Lysandra lost the grip of her arm, the manila envelope slipped out, it dropped on the floor. Photos of four lifeless young men scattered on the marble.

_Damned the Fates to Tartarus!_

* * *

Tim lost her by the time she get to Robinson Park. For some reason his tracker failed to respond. Maybe she found out and crushed it. Or maybe the signal just died. He wasn't sure when he stopped at the last place her signal was visible. Tim looked up at stone forums and frowned.

_Why would she come here, to the mausoleum of all places?_

He was sure that the girl didn't realize at all that she was being followed. She casually made her way from her apartment in China town to the subway, even stopped listening to a subway performer with a guitar singing 'Hey, Soul Sister'. Tim watched her tapped her foot and bobbed her head along until the song end before continued making her way to the park.

She appeared to be just another average teenage girl as far as he could tell, if you didn't count the fact that her hands didn't glue to cellphone like other girls their age. And the fact that she seemed to be oblivious at ogling eyes from population of male gender as she passed by. He couldn't help himself and clicking the side of his special made sunglass, snapping the pictures of her with micro camera that he attached for surveillance, which will automatically uploaded into his PDA and server.

Tim walked through the arch, making his way up to the mausoleum but stopped short at the foot of the stone steps and stared at the closing door.

_What if she wasn't here?_

He frowned at the thought. Well, never hurt to chec-

"Are you going in?"

Tim jumped, startled at the voice from behind. Turning around to see a blond woman. Her eyes hidden behind oversize sunglass. His mouth gaped at how beautiful she was. Tall, curvy body cover by designer clothes from head to toes. Tim had seen fair share of this kind of women. Those socialites, heiresses and celebutantes he often met at charity galas with Bruce. He never seemed to attract to those type of women but this blond lady…..there's something drawing him in like a magnet. Something unusual.

"Hello! Anyone home?" She snapped her finger, bringing his attention back. "Are you going in there, Mr. Drake?"

"Um…..Do I know you?" Tim blinked at her dumbly, searching his memories of her inside his head, he was so sure he didn't know this woman.

"Och! Of course you don't" She let out exasperate sigh and flipped her blond curl back. "But that's not the point. Why are you following my sweet little girl, may I ask? Do you plan to help her?"

"I beg your pardon?" Tim felt a flush rushed to his face, was he that careless to get caught by this woman? And who was she? Was she that girl's, relative? Mother?...no she didn't look that old to be a mother, maybe a sister? And how did she knew his name…well, it was possible that she remembered him from society page or charity events. Everyone in Gotham(and outside) knew he was second adopted son of Bruce Wayne.

"Stop acting, Drakey-poo. I don't have much time to play…for now anyway" She swatted her hand, Tiffany bracelet caught a flicker of sunlight. He opened his mouth to ask his question but she reached out and snatched his sunglass away from his face, tossed it away.

"Now, that's better. Let her see those pretty eyes of yours..…" She beamed, clasping her hands together before stumped her stiletto heel on his discarded sunglass. Tim winced as it broke under the pressure of her high heel. "Now, Shut up and listen, boy. My little girl is still new to this -" she waved her hands around "—outside world. A little naïve I would say, but don't worry she can take care of herself. You, on the other hand….." She paused and lower her oversize sunglass, Tim got a glimpse of her blue eyes.

"I can take care of myself, Miss…"

"I know you can, your nightly job was pretty much said it all"

Tim stunned at her words. She knew who he was!?

"Don't look so surprise, hon. I know a lot of things. Now…where were we? Oh, that's right. You on the other hand, might have a hard time keeping up with my little girl. She can be a handful and you might not be able to help yourself and sashay in her business. Don't worry….just ignore her. That girl didn't know what's good for her sometime, Please keep her on her toes." Tim opened his mouth again but the blond lady just held up her finger, telling him to hush. "I'm not done talking. And by the way to answer your question, I'm not her mother or sister…More like a _godmother_!" She beamed at her own statement. Tim forced himself not to shake his head. "Anyway, Now…if you decided to help her, Do remember it was all for the greater good. I'm sure, _you people_ know what it means. Now….put that scowl off your handsome face and go face my little girl, Athena should be done briefing by now…"

_Athena?_ "Um….I still don't-"

"Tsk! Teenagers these days! All the answers you seek are in there with my sweet darling girl, though she chooses to share with you or not, that's not my problem! Just tell me you will help her?"

"Umm….Okay?"

"Awesome! Now off you go!"

She waved her hand dismissingly. Before Tim could do anything else his feet marched themselves up the steps leading to the mausoleum. The glass door threw open on its own and Tim was pushed inside. The force made him stumbling, he almost hit the floor but caught himself just in time.

"Stupid Gods and their stupid rules!" The voice filled his ears made his spine stiffed. Looking over, and caught a glimpse of his target for the last three days, bending over picking up scattered photos. His brain almost short circuited when he remembered how she woke up this morning, those smooth legs and her sun-kissed skin. Tim swallowed when her knees hit the marble floor as her body stretched out she reached for those photos of-

His own eyes went wide when he caught one of the scattered photos on the floor. Picking up one of them that laying near his feet, his body went cold when he saw pale lifeless body of Mark Handerson – The latest victim, laying on a slab, captured on the paper. His eyes scanned the rest of those scattered photos, he saw other victims -Drug Dealer - Frank Moretti, College Football player – Scott Rodgers, Upper East Side rich Mama's boy – Colin Blake. All in the same manner, on the autopsy slaps, lying lifeless in the dumpsters at the crime scenes. His heart pounded so hard he suspected it might leap out.

"How did you get this?" His voice, almost a whisper, But the girl swung back at him. He could tell her body stiffen as she rose, ignoring the rest of the photos on the hard floor. Their eyes met.

Tim sucked in a breath when he caught the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. She was a few inches shorter. With rosy full lips. Celestial nose that slightly upturned at the tip. She had familiar high cheek bones that tugged at his memories. She'd look like Botticelli's angel came to life, if it wasn't for her straight black hair that fell pass her shoulder, stopping at the middle of her back instead of ringlet curls framing her face. Both her wrists wore silver bracelets, that looking more like shackles that bracelets.

Her blue eyes glared at him, reminding Tim of that same look she gave when they first met. If he was a lesser man and not uses to Bruce/Batman's daily glare, he might felt on to his knees and shuddered in fear or maybe it was of those pretty blue eyes that Tim felt like he could spent a whole day losing in them.

"No mask and flashy tights today, eh?" Tim heard her muttered as he felt her eyes travelling on his body, studying him. He almost liked the sensation when he realized the words.

She knew who he was.

He blinked, thousands of questions roaming inside his head. Forcing himself not to show them on his face, he cleared his throat and asked. "….You know who I am?"

She rolled her eyes and gave him _Duh_ expression as she turned back and picked up the rest of the photos, stuck them inside the manila envelope. She muttered again. "I have eyes, of course I know"

"How?" Tim studied her but she didn't give him any answer until she picked up the rest of the photos, except the one he was holding. She turned back to him and walked closer, snatching the photo from his hand and stuck it in the envelope. Then she met his eyes again. Somehow Tim felt his spine tingled.

"Doesn't matter how I know, Stiff. Don't worry, I won't sell your dirty little secret out." _Stiff?_ Tim raised an eye brow but she ignored him "You are here, and by Athena's word I must abide. Not that I have a choice-" Her voice trailed off a little. "Anyway, the point is, Do you want to catch the killers?"

"You knew who did this?" Unbelieving, he asked. She made tsk sound with her tongue.

"Wrong question. Not _Who_ but _What_" She tucked the envelope under her arm.

"Excuse me?"

"Look, stiff. You want to catch the killers or what?" She came even closer to him, faint scent of honey suckle float within the air. His nostrils flared. Eyes still holding gaze at each other, he nodded. She let out a small grin. "Good, then feed me"

"What?"

"Och! I think you need to go check your ears, stiff. I said FEED ME! I'm famished!"

And she caught his arm, tugging him toward the opened door. Dragging him along with her outside. Confusion lingering in his eyes, he looked down to her as she looked up to him.

"I can't think when I'm hungry. Feed me and we will talk" She gave him a lopsided grin, flashing a dimple. His stomach did a summersault that would make Dick proud. "….Don't worry, I will help you catch them"

He paused his step. "_Them_?"

She clicked her tongue again. "Seriously, Stiff. You need to get those ears of yours check. I think you are going deaf!"

He heard her laughed. Questions bombarding inside him and he wanted answers.

_All the answers you seek are in there with my sweet darling girl. _

Tim remembered what that blond lady said. He sighed, if he wanted his answers, he guessed he had to satisfy whatever she demanded first. Tim resigned himself, letting her dragged him out to the afternoon sun. To the nearest food place they could find.

* * *

Tim sipped his iced coffee, silently watching her devoured her third burger like a starved man—or girl. His fries sat between them on the open lawn of Robinson Park, forgotten. He frowned when sweetness of the beverage was a little too much for his taste, he set it aside. His eyes traveled from her—who sat cross legged next to him on the green grass, to the manila enveloped under her backpack. Itching to ask his question.

They hadn't talk, not into details yet anyway. Hell, He didn't even know her name!

"So…." Tim cleared his throat. "What should I call you?"

She didn't answer, Instead, finished her food and slurped on her strawberry milkshake. Tim struggled waiting for his question to be answer. Which was unusual for him. Patient was one for the first few things he learned from being sidekick of the Batman. He waited for criminals in the dark, in the cold rain. He waited while doing surveillance. He waited for a perfect time to strike, while planning out his attack plans. Patient was his friend. One thing he good at. But waiting for her to slowly worked her food and finished her drink was almost a torture to him. His brain overloaded with curiosity.

Finally she turned to face him. "You want my name, then tell me yours first…" She paused. "…or don't. I can just keep calling you Stiff. Suit you just fine"

_Stiff?_ _Seriously?_ His temple twitched in annoyance. Feeling a little offended, he lied. "Travis Miller"

"Bullshit. I know that's not your name" Her glare penetrated him like a spear.

"Oh, if you do know my name then why do you need me to tell you?"

She warned. "Because it's courtesy. Now let's try again?"

He hesitated, alarm went off in his head. His secret identity was found out by a teenage girl….what else had she found out? The color of his underwear? Tim forced himself to stay calm. Steadied his voice. "Timothy Drake…..My family called me Tim"

"Lysandra" She replied.

"Lysandra…what?" He raised an eyebrow. Old Greek name like this, he knew her parent would have their connections to their roots somewhat.

She softened her glare and just looked at him. As if calculating what she want to say. She bit her bottom lip. Somehow it made him even more anxious.

"….I um…"

"Come on, I told you mine. And if you knew about my nightly career, you'd know that it was important I should never be found out" He encouraged. He added with the tone she just used on him. "It's courtesy"

She gave him another long look then sighed and laced her fingers through her black hair. She looked away from him. "I am Lysandra of the Amazons"

Silence creeped between them. Tim was one who stared at her this time. His eyes traveled to her shackled wrists then back to her face. And everything clicked.

The first time they met, they fought Greek mythology creature. The blond lady mention name _Athena_, as in Goddess of Warfare and Wisdom. Her uncommon Greek name and her steel cuffs -Or Bracelets of Submission, as he remembered reading in Justice League files of Wonder Woman about the Amazons that Bruce had in his own system. The bracelets all the Amazons wore as a reminder of oppression years under Hercules.

But another thing that made Tim felt like firework exploded in his head was the fact that no one had heard about The Amazons in years, Years after Wonder Woman resigned from The Justice League. He heard rumors that Even the Batman couldn't trace the location of the island where the Amazons lived, As if…they just vanished from the face of earth.

But now…..

Tim stared harder at the girl sitting next to him, less than a foot away from his body. A faint scent of honeysuckle still teasing his nose. A real life Amazon, the first one in more than ten years! In Gotham City!

The question was, Why? Why she surfaced now? Here in Gotham City. And instead of Wonder Woman—who technically the only Amazon who cared enough about outside world to help, wasn't the one here. Lysandra didn't look more than twenty. She didn't even look like a warrior, sure her body was tone and lean but slightly less muscle mass. She looked more like a dancer than a fighter. She didn't look like an Amazon.

_Shit!_ Bruce wouldn't be please about this new development.

Another light bulb went off inside his head. Lysandra just offered to help him catch the serial killer. With all the timing, only meant one thing.

The killer was one of the Greek mythology creatures.

_Double Shit! _

"So you are like….Immortal warrior?...Like Wonder Woman"

"No" Her almost snapped as a reply. "Nobody can compare to her. No one"

He could hear admiration, worshipment in her tone. But that still didn't satisfy him, so he pressed again. "But you didn't look….umm…that old-"

"Of course not-" She turned back to him. "-I'm only turned Seventeen last month"

_Seventeen_? Same age as him? Why would a teenage Amazon doing here in Gotham, trying to catch a killer.

"Aren't you too young to offer your help catching a serial killer?"

"Aren't you too young for your sidekick job?" She snapped back, threw him another glare. Though she did make a point.

"I've been doing this for years" He quibbled.

"And I've been trained to handle myself and _unfriendly threats_ since before you started your damn school"

"But you're a girl-"

"I am an Amazon" She rolled her eyes. "We can make your groin bleed before you can even finish blinking"

Tim felt he should felt intimidated, cause he knew she wasn't bluffing. But he still needed more answers "But why you? Why not Wonder Woman? Last time I check, she was one with outside world connection, she was in the Justice League"

"She's….unavailable…..at the moment" She clicked her tongue. "Look, Tom—"

"—Tim" he corrected.

"—Whatever, I am your best bet. Not that I have a choice. The gods declared I am to help you catch the killers, they demanded I hand them their punishment. And I'm going to do it"

"And…?"

"And what?"

"Come on, I don't think you will just help me for free, so what's the catch?"

Lysandra let out a long sigh, but she answered. "In return, you will help me acquire something. Not that I need your help, I can do it on my own-"

"What's something?" Tim asked.

"Well,…..that's the problem" She said, almost squirming. "I have no idea what. Just where it will be. But we will discuss it later…." Lysandra opened the manila envelope, taking the photos out and spread them on the grass, comparing all four victims on the autopsy slabs.

"You see these carving?" She pointed at the mystery three legs asterisk symbols on all victims. Tim nodded and she continued. "These are called Mark of Hecate"

Hecate. He wrecked his brain on his Greek Mythology knowledge. She was the goddess of Witchcraft, Ghost, Magic and Crossroad.

"Are you saying the goddess was-"

"No"

"But you said-"

"I know what I said. I said Mark of Hecate. I didn't say she was the one who did it" Lysandra clicked her tongue in annoyance. "It's not her but her daughters….Do you know anything about Empousa?"

_Empousa?_ Tim blinked. "Almost next to nothing"

She sighed, "Well, I guess I have to educate you a little bit, eh?"

* * *

"So, Once upon a time…" Lysandra started. Tim sipped his iced coffee and let out a little grimace. "….Hecate slept with Spirit Mormo. Then bam! Three daughters were born-"

"Just like that? _Bam_?" Tim raised an eyebrow at her, mimicking her voice.

"You have problem with my story telling?" She narrowed her eyes at him. He held both his hands up. Satisfied, she continued. "….Ok, so three daughters were born to them. They were beautiful and knew it. But being beautiful doesn't mean they were kind, they were murderous in fact. They liked to seduce young men, slept with them then feed of their blood and ate their hearts."

"Talking about turn off…" Tim muttered. Lysandra ignored him.

"Yeah. And since they were demigods, no one can touch them without anger Hecate. So they went on all you can eat buffet for years until they were stupid enough to eat one of Athena's priest –in Athena Temple. By her sacred altar, so you know how that goes. Athena was pissed then she cursed them yadah yadah—"

"So, you think these Empousai are responsible for these killings?"

"I don't think. _I know_" She nodded at her statement.

Tim gave her a long look. Giving Lysandra to have another chance to examine him.

Timothy Drake, son of Archeologist turned Globetrotting Businessman Jack and Janet Drake. Until tragedy struck, he lost both parents in kidnapping gone wrong. Adopted by billionaire Bruce Wayne as second son. That much was public knowledge Lysandra could easily find on internet.

It all started when she was curious, what kind of man her father was. After learning he adopted two orphans. Anguish and Envy spiked inside her. Her father decided to adopt orphans instead of go looking for her. Jealousy that what she felt, even she knew he had no idea about her existent. He didn't just shelter them. He trained them, fought alongside them. While she'd spent her life under someone else mentorship.

Their pictures were easily to find. While Richard Grayson, first one who was adopted by her father was much more of a pretty boy. Tim was a little different. His aquiline nose was bumpy on the bridge from being broken more than once. Black hair trimmed short, Blue eyes with a tinged of green remind her of Sea beyond Themyscira. Strong jawline and sharp cheekbones. She could feel sternness radiated around him. Making her want to antagonize him just to see what he would do.

"So…..what the plan?" Tim finally said.

"Plan?"

"How do we find them? How do we catch them?..." He raised eyebrows.

"Oh that" Lysandra made a little O sound, "Well….I don't really have one. But I wouldn't worry…."

"You don't? I thought your gods demand you to take care of them?"

Lysandra sighed. Dug into her backpack, she pulled out the tickets she got from the goddess and hand one of them to Tim. He looked at her dumbfound and took it.

"What is this?" After a minute, He looked back up at her.

"It's a contract for you to sign your soul away…." She joked. "It's a ticket, stiff!"

"I know it's a ticket. But what Greek Exhibition got anything to do with our murderers?"

"Maybe nothing….But this is our trade" She said but held up her finger when Tim opened his mouth to ask. "….the goddess wants me there tomorrow and not today for a reason, she said to bring you. So don't ask me why, I try not to question the gods and their merry ways. I am looking for something that was supposed to be exhibited there. Think of it as a payment"

He took a minute to answer "…..Alright"

"Great…." Lysandra starting to pick up her trash but Tim swatted her hands away.

"I'll get that" He muttered. Picking up burger wrappers and her empty milkshake cup. Together they stood.

"I guess I will see you tomorrow at 10 in front of the museum?" She said, stuffed the envelope inside her backpack.

"Sound good" He replied.

Lysandra almost walking away but she remembered something. Opened her backpack again and brought out her dagger. Tim narrowed his eyes.

"Give me your hand" She said. Holding her hand out.

"Excuse me?"

"Give me your hand" She repeated. "I want a blood oath"

"_What?_"

"You seriously are deaf, Tom—"

"—Tim"

"—whatever, I want a blood oath that you won't tattle on me to your mentor"

Tim blinked at her for a minute, he said. "I won't. I promise"

"Yeah right, and I am The King of Macedon" Lysandra said sarcastically. Tim made a face at her. "No offend, Birdboy. But I can trust you as far as I can throw you, so just give me your hand. I want a blood oath, don't worry it won't hurt…much" Lysandra gave him a lopsided grin, challenging him. "Unless, you are scared of a little nick…"

"I'm not" Narrowed his eyes again but he laid his hand in her opened palm. Lysandra used her dagger to make a little cut on his index finger then did the same to herself. Then pressed both open cuts together, mingling their blood.

"Now swear it"

"I swear with my blood I will not tell Batman about you and our association" Tim said.

Lysandra grinned. "And I swear with my blood to do anything I can to stop those three murderous bitches from killing more innocent people"

"Satisfied?" Tim said when Lysandra let go of his hand.

"Very…." She said wiped her dagger with napkin, sheathed it and put it back into her backpack. "Alright, Stiff. See you tomorrow! And don't be late!"

Pivoting away she could hear him saying "Don't call me that!"

She snickered. Somehow couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.

* * *

Tim rubbed his face and settled in the chair. Waiting for his files to upload. His bandaged finger tingled. After his faithful meeting with Lysandra he decided to call Alfred and letting him know he would crash at Dick's apartment in Bludhaven instead of going home for a few days. He didn't feel like seeing Bruce and trying to keep quiet about Lysandra. He had something to check and not wanting to do it under the nose of his mentor.

"Want some pizza?" Dick called from the living room, walking in with pizza box in hand.

"You know you shouldn't eat in here" Tim said. Dick ignored him and set the box on a table nearby, chewing on his food. Before something caught his eyes, he dragged another chair and settle next to his adopted brother.

"Damn….who's that? She's hot! A little too young for me but still hot…"

Tim glanced at Dick's excited face, his blue eyes twinkled at the screen fill of pictures he took by his sunglass cam before the blond lady crushed it under her stiletto heels. He was able to upload them to his PDA. Dick's reaction made his temple twitch in annoyance.

"You don't' remember her?" Tim said. Dick looked at him dumbfound, "…..she punched you across the jaw a few night ago…"

Dick stared at the screen, then blinked and blinked before let out a curse. "You found her?"

Tim nodded. She wasn't exactly hiding from him. But he didn't tell Dick that.

"That's explain why you just used my DNA test kit….but why don't you do it at Bat cave? Probably faster than here" Dick went back to his food. Waiting for him to reply.

"I could, but I don't want Bruce to know….yet—" Tim said. "I have my suspicious about something…"

"Is that why you're hacking into Justice League Database?"

"Not exactly hacking. I'm just using _your_ password" Tim pointed out.

"Damn. You just got suspended from patrol, if you have that much free time feel free to clean my kitchen" Dick started on another slice.

"Yuck! No Thanks" Tim laughed before grabbed his own slice. His eyes watching the DNA running for the match of Justice League Database. It would take couple of days to finish the matching, from past and present roster. Wishfully to confirm something he suspected.

* * *

Nightly summer breeze cooled the air. Steve Trevor sat on the bench outside his rooftop loft, exhaling the smoke from his nose. Nicotine spread through his system. Right hand tapped the cigarette on ashtray, his left holding an old photo. Two people smiling, seemingly happy in each other company. One was a dark hair woman, blue eyes and high cheekbones. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. The other was older man, his used to be blond hair was silver, lines showing his aging. Only the blue eyes were still the same every time he looked into the mirror.

Diana.

Her name was as beautiful as her own self. His angel, his only true love. Fate had funny ways of playing with his heart, sending her to save him. Then took her away. And didn't return her to him fifty years later. Never a day went by he didn't think of her. Remembering her soft lips when she kissed him goodbye. And the day he passed, she held his hands, tear falling from those beautiful orbs making him felt like the sky itself was crying, mourning for him.

Inhaled the cigarette, he closed his eyes. Memories assaulted him.

_"Do you love her, mortal?" The goddess asked him. _

_"I'd end the world for her" That was his reply. Absolute truth. He would. But it wouldn't matter now because he was no longer alive. His heart ached. How could his heart ached when he was already dead? _

_"You could help her-help her child. Shelter her and protect her" She said to him. _

_He frowned. "I would, but wasn't that the job of her father?"_

_"Under certain circumstance….he was unavailable" She looked at him with those blue eyes that remind him of Diana. His chest ached even more. She added. "I could give you a body, you could do that. You could help Diana, would you?"_

_"Yes" He answered without hesitation. Without second thought. He just knew. _

_"…But with a price, Mr. Trevor." The goddess noted. "Nothing is free in this world, I would understand, of course if you don't want to."_

_"Name your price, lady. And I'm all yours"_

_She smiled. "…..Good. Then your soul is mine"_

"Steve?" Lysandra's voice called him back from the memories. He tucked the photo into his shirt pocket and killed the cigarette. He could feel her hesitantly approached. A few seconds she was standing by the bench he was sitting on.

"Can….can I talk to you?" She said. Slowly sitting down by him.

"Sure. What is it?" He said, looking at her. She was fidgeting he could tell something was bothering her. Lysandra didn't answer right away. Instead chewed on her bottom lips, like she always did when she was thinking hard about something.

"I….." She started. Paused to inhaled and exhaled. "About this morning. I….I'm sorry. I should act like that"

"That's alright, kid. You are a teenager after all. When I was your age, I sneaked out to make out with my then-girlfriend so very often" He joked. Lysandra grimaced at his words, scrunching her nose.

"Ewwww….There goes my dinner…." She said teasingly.

"Oh hush!" He laughed, so did she. After a good while they both sat, letting the silence to stretch over.

"I met Athena today" Lysandra spoke, breaking the silence. "….and she said something…"

"What is it?"

"She said….well…." her expression turned grimmer than before. "…..She said, you had to exchange something with Aphrodite in order to…um….came back to life…."

He raised an eyebrow. So Lysandra continued. "I mean, you didn't have to do that, Steve. My mother own you nothing—"

"Oh, but I own her everything, kid" His life, his heart. Always belonged to Diana. "…And I want to do it. So you better be grateful!"

He ruffled her hair. Ignoring her protest as she swatting his hand away. Steve smiled, his heart full with love for this girl's mother. Even he knew what was waiting for him at the end of this road he took the second time.

Yes, He would trade his soul for eternity for Diana. He would do it again without a second thought.

Lysandra successfully twisted out of his grab, she said before dashing away. "Now, unlock that Parental Control you have on the Cable. I want to watch Quentin Tarantino's _Death Proof_"

Steve shook his head and chuckled. Patting his shirt pocket where the photo was tucked away a minute ago. He walked back inside the loft.

* * *

**Ps ::** Very long chapter, eeep! Hopefully it worth your wait. I know it lacks action but don't worry I will give you plenty in the next chapter!

If anyone didn't get the phase "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" I believe you can google it. Also the I twitched a little bit of Empousa's origin to fit the story. Also, a lot of people are asking when Bruce will meet his daughter. Almost, guys…almost. I don't want to rush things. I want their meeting to have some impact. So bear with me?

Hopefully my hand will get better and will be able to type faster soon. Also next month(as in February) I will be at Katsucon. If anyone want going at want to say hi, let me know I will PM the detail about meeting up.

Don't forget to review! Until the next chapter!


	13. 12 Let's Dance Part1

**Disclaimers ::** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N ::** Eh, It's been over a month since last update? Sorry again for being very, I was busy finishing cosplays for Katsucon, then went away for the con. But I am back now! Hand is healing much better too, thanks everyone for get well PM!

I decided to cut this chapter in two parts, since a lot of things happened but in a sense, it's still cooperates in the same chapter. And believe This chapter is very long. The second part will be post around Monday. I decided to change a few things and re-write some parts. Hope you enjoy the first part!

Also, I made a playlist for this story, mostly are the songs I feel fit along with the story(as well as some that will be fitting for events in the near future of the story) I will post the link on my profile if anyone interesting.

**Warning ::** No beta. Strong language and some graphic violence. Do not try at home!

* * *

**Chapter 12 :: Let's Dance.**

_Let's dance for fear  
your grace should fall  
Let's dance for fear tonight is all_  
**- David Bowie, Let's dance.**

**Part 1;**

Tim looked at his watch again, 10 minutes to 10, before glanced back at his reflection on glass wall of the museum. Disguise was in place, instead of his black hair, he wore red curly wig that cropped short, freckles dotted across his face, his blue eyes covered with brown contact lenses. With a little help of latex, his cheeks looked fuller, his nose a little bigger. He didn't look like himself.

He should be satisfied, he never use this newest disguise before. And the whole point of it was to avoid any knowledge of he was about to do fell into Bruce's hands by accident. In case, something happened inside the museum, so many cameras were installed just before the start of this summer, upgraded with facial recognition program. Becoming much more handy for Barbara to track down any thief who stupid enough to rob this museum.

Rocking on his feet, he glanced back at his reflection again. Lysandra wouldn't recognize him. Hell, Dick almost dropped him this morning when he saw Tim came out of the guestroom of Dick's apartment, thinking Tim was a burglar. He even added good few inches with his custom made sneakers to his height. His lean body looked even lankier. That why he got here half an hour before meeting time. He knew she would looked right pas―

"What are you doing?"

Tim's eyes caught round pair of blue orbs staring right at him in the reflection, his breath hitched and swirled around by his reflex to face the owner those blue eyes.

Lysandra stood there with a fist to her hip, long sleeves gray hoodie covered all the way to her wrists, but cutoff denim shorts showing off her toned legs. Long hair pulled into a ponytail under a ball cap. Backpack strapped at her back. If Tim didn't count her breath-stopping-pretty face, she would have passed for a normal teenage girl.

"Umm…Hi!" Yep, his loss of speech seemed to agree to his statement. Lysandra lifted a brow. Tim struggled his tongue to unknot and his brain to work again. What the hell was wrong with him anyway?

"Hi" She responded with laughter in her eyes. His heart did a somersault.

"You know me?" Somehow that came out dumber than he intended. But it was the only logical thing he could think of at the moment.

Lysandra tiled her head, gave him amused look. "Do you want me to know you?"

_YES!_ "..Maybe?"

"So what's your name?" _Oh, she played along._ But when Tim opened his mouth to answer she held up her hand. "…..Never mind, I'll just called you _Percy_"

_Percy? Is she serious? Does he look like a Percy to her?_

"Percy?" His eyebrow quirked.

"Yes, you know….the redhead one from that movie…ones with children playing with wands and flying on brooms"

Tim stared down at Lysandra. She compared his disguise to _Percy Weasley_? He cleared his throat, trying not to look offended. He muttered. "Well, at least he was a Headboy"

"Please, you reek authorities in this getup, Stiff" She gave him a lopsided grin, snatched his elbow in her grip, dragging him toward the entrance. "Nice touch on the freckles though and thicker nose. Very impressive.…"

"Apparently not good enough since you plucked me right out" Tim muttered as both handed their tickets and stepped through a walkthrough metal detector at the entrance. Lysandra went in fist, leaving his question lingered. She glided pass it without problem, _Heh, No weapon?_ That was unexpected. He pecked her for a paranoid from the way she survey the places as they walked.

She gave him thoughtful look, waiting for him to slide through before answered. "It's your presence…."

_His presence?_ He expected she would say it was his speech pattern, or the way he stand or his eyes that gave himself away, not his presence. What was she, an aura reader?

"Do you mind explain that?" Because he really wanted to know.

She gave him a sideway glance, as they started walking. "It's hard to explain…." She paused for a minute to think. "I think it has something to do with the blood oath we took yesterday. Though I never really swear a blood oath before so I can't really compare…." She paused again, Tim didn't interrupted. "….I think somehow it created connection between the magic in my blood to yours, and your presence is calming―"

"Calming?" _I am now the Zen Master!_

"Yeah, like a tree shade in the hottest summer day, after a really long walk in blasting sun kind of thing…." She shrugged. "….And there was this big tree full of green leaves, you just want to sit or lay there and take a break, you know…"

No, he really didn't. But he accepted her explanation, for now. "Ah…"

They continued making their ways to the exhibition on the second floor. Lysandra wasn't dragging him anymore but she strode a little ahead of him, her pace fast and on purpose, he kept up with hers. Tim could tell she was counting the security cameras as she turned her face occasionally, avoiding direct angle for the cameras to capture her face, this girl glided the floor as if she knew it as her own backyard. She'd been here before, probably numerous times, scouting the museum like a conman prepare for a heist.

"So what are we looking for?" Tim asked as they stepped on the escalator.

"I don't know" She sounded hesitated and frustrated. And still made no sense for bringing him along.

Tim tried again, "Well, do you mind telling me the origin of the object then?" She gave him a hard stare as the escalator glided upward, Lysandra oblivious to ogling eyes directing at her from male teenagers who stood a few steps ahead of them, their dreamy smiles lit their pimpled faces. One of them slipped his gaze to meet his, he gave Tim a once over look and sneered then went back staring at Lysandra's pretty head, ignoring his amused gaze. Probably thinking he had a chance with her more than him, _Hah! Not in this life._

His spine straightened, elbowed her lightly showing intimacy by touching her body. And gave her a little grin. "Come on, humor me. What could hurt, right? I mean, I swore not to tattle on you remember?"

Lysandra of course, gave him suspicious look. He winked at her and she shook her head. His gaze lifted to the boys above them, giving them his triumph smile. They glared back at him but the death glare match didn't last long until the whole group almost tripped on their feet when the moving escalator steps reached the second floor. They stumbled away the other side of the building. Faces reddened.

"Well, I guess it couldn't…." Lysandra replied. Her voice trailed off a little. They reached second floor as well, she continued after they both stepped off. "You know the result of War of the Titans?"

Tim nodded, almost anyone knew about it. The Titans lost the war to the Olympians, got sent to Tartarus, Ancient Greek equivalent of Belle Reve Penitentiary. The worst, most dangerous beings were thrown, including The King of Titans, Cronus.

"Apparently, some _bitch goddess_ decided, it would be nice to change the rulers of Olympus―" He noticed the sneer on her face. "― so she's helping Cronus breaking out of prison as we speak. But you see, Tartarus isn't just some county jail. It is THE Prison. The oldest, strongest prison. Because it wasn't made by any gods, it was born. It's the force and the deity that was born along with Uranus- the sky, Gaia- the earth and Pontus- the sea. Underworld was built on top of Tartarus itself. You can't just waltz in and out as you please. Even the gods themselves wouldn't be able to break out. The only way to get out is to be let out…."

"But you can break in from the outside?"

Lysandra sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. On top of that, Tartarus was protected by seven seals. Zeus, Hades and Athena saw to it sometime after Cronus first tried to break out the first time that they should reinforce the gate, just in case something happen….like now….I am tasked to find those seals and reinforce them before that bitch goddess would have her chance and broke them. "

"How noble of you to be doing this" Tim said. "But that still telling me nothing how are we going to find this thing you looking for"

They stopped at the entrance of the hall that held Ancient Greek Exhibition. Lysandra tiled her face up to meet his eyes, Tim noticed the intensity in them, burning bring like the heart of flame. He knew this look, he'd seen it before. In Bruce, every night when he went out on patrol, Bruce who determined to save this rotten city even they all knew it would never be done. The determination in those blue eyes resembled them both like they were reflection of each other in the mirror.

"Noble? No, Stiff. I'm far from noble" Lysandra almost gave him a snort. "I did because I want something in return as well….And don't you worry about finding it, that's my job. You just accompany me with that perky face of yours because the goddess said I have to take you….please don't tired yourself out…"

Her words full of sarcasms. She turned away from him, leading him into the hall. But as soon as she set foot inside, Lysandra stopped death on her track and inhale deeply. Her eyes widened. Hand snatched his wrist, her blunt fingernails dug into his skin. He forced himself not to wince.

"It's here….." She said. " I can feel it…..it's here…."

Before Tim had time to open his mouth, Lysandra tugged on his arm, dragging him along farther inside.

* * *

Magic filled the air of the hall as soon as she stepped inside. Like Electrical current flowed through her, pricking at her skin then seeped itself inside her every pore. Her breath hitched and her heart slammed fast against the cage in her chest. Excitement sprinkled in her eyes. Lysandra gripped Tim's hand and follow the current of the magic.

As if it was calling to her.

"Where are we going?" He asked, as they rushed passed the crowds through the hall. Lysandra ignoring the rest of the exhibits, she chased through the thickness of mystic power.

"To _it_" She simply said. He wouldn't understand why she could feel it. She only understood _just now_ why she would be able to find this artifact.

Outside Themyscira, Mystical power was unstable, unlike wave of the sea. It flowed around and dispersed. Magic users such as witches or sorcerers would be able to draw power to themselves, channeling it, stored it inside objects or even in their own bodies but with limited source, they would have to take a break before used up those powers they collected inside themselves. Different origins of magic, different currencies of the powers.

True, Lysandra didn't study deeply mystical arts, maybe some easy blood ritual like biding with blood oath. But her entire existent was purely base on magic. She was conceived by divine touch of the goddess, She grew up on a conjured island, air that fill with mystical climate. Magic would always be part of her. Magic was in her blood, deep inside her soul. She would recognize the one solely just by let it lead her to the object itself.

Invisible woven caressed her skin, weaving her closer and closer to destination. Lysandra peered around her finding the source that emitted such powerful current in the air. And if she wasn't wrong, this room was filled with more than just one mystical objects.

A touch of cool air brushed against her left arm, she tiled her face― double decker Siana cup shimmered its force, too weak, this wasn't it. Lysandra scanned across to her right where a warmer breeze touched her, A bell Krater depicting the return of Persephone. She gave it a stare for a good second, it emitted small amount of power, possibly it had been touched by higher beings but wrong story telling on the krater, Lysandra moved away, Next…

Suddenly she felt like she was slamming into an invisible wall. Lysandra gasped, the magic hissed as the force pulled her in as well as pushed her away. Next to her, Tim winced again from her nails digging into his arm. He didn't complain, just stood there next to her, his free hand grabbed her shoulder as if to support her. Did she need it? She wasn't really sure. Mystical force was so much it made her legs almost tremble. The air was hotter around her, making it harder to breath. Tim squeezed her shoulder. But her gaze was locked on the object in the glass case.

A ceramic Phiale sat inside on the showing stand. The round, shallow bow without handle or feet, painted in red-figure style of three individuals, man holding lightning bolt―Zeus, a woman in full armor with an owl on her shoulder―Athena and another man wearing dark helmet―Hades. All three pointed their fingers to the middle of the bowl where a bulbous indentation, which was paint in a closed eye.

Lysandra blinked, and reached out to touch the glass case. Electric pricked at her hand.

_Release me. _It called to her. A little voice in her head._ Touch me. Bleed for me._

Bleed for it? She couldn't even touch it directly as it is. Her hand formed a fist. If only she could punch the glass and snatch it away…

_Help me_. She said in her head. Trying to tell that voice. She might be crazy, talking to a thousand years old bowl, but didn't seem too stupid at a time. _Help me get you out and I will bleed for you._

_Bleed for me, little demigod. You blood shall open the all-seeing eye._ The voice said again. _Hurry before it's too late._

"I take it you found _it_?" Tim said. She could only nodded. Her right hand still gripping his and his hand still on her shoulder. "So, now what?"

"Now, I need to touch it and fill the bowl with my blood" She simply said. Silence greeted her as an answer, Lysandra turned to Tim, whose face looked like he just saw her grew another head or some sort.

"Oh no….No. No. No. No way." He shook his head. His voice alarmed, stepping away from her and let go of her shoulder. "I am not robbing a museum, especially one my mentor owns half of the things here and his company basically installed surveillance cameras. Not to mention, I am usually the one who _prevent_ the robbery!"

"Who said we need to rob the museum? I said I just need to _touch_ it!" She hushed her voice down. And now he was glaring at her instead.

"Oh, really? And how would you propose we do that?" Tim crossed his arms, trying to intimidate her. Lysandra glared up at him. Fists slammed to her hip, didn't let him win this easily.

"You won't do a thing!" She announced. "You're here only because Athena ordered me to bring you here, she didn't say anything about you helping me getting this artifact, not that I need your help―"

"And you expected me to what? Let you robbed the museum?—"

"―Not robbing, I just going to borrow it!"

"So you expecting me to let you steal―"

"I said _borrow_!"

"―borrow without permission? Yeah, right. Same same" Tim didn't back down. His fake reddish eyebrows knitted together, eyes disapproved.

Her eyes twitched, anger bubbled inside. Oh this irritating mortal, she'd punch him so hard his teeth ached for weeks! How dare he―

Suddenly another surge of power hummed in the air, lights in the room flickered and the crowds gasped. A smell of rotten eggs hit her nose, her hand flew to her mouth. Before she had time to think, all the lights shattered. Screaming erupted. She heard _pop pop!_ Over and over, noticed puff of smoke came out from every surveillance camera in the room. Tim moved behind her, grabbed her shoulder and pulled her closer, their bodies slammed together. The new voice boomed.

"Awww, look at these weak mortals, sister! They're so scared and they should! We will rule them soon enough" The blond hair woman in a designer summer dress beamed as she strutted into the exhibition hall, her stiletto heels clicked as she walk. Beside her another dark hair woman paused and inhaled. Charging in from behind them two of the security guards who work for the museum placed their big bodies there. Batons in hands.

Lysandra frowned when their beautiful faces started to blurred away, some kind of glamour was in place, they emitted large amount of mystical energy. Lysandra gaped when the shimmering of glamour stopped. They had donkey faces under those beautiful glamour…

_Well, well….look who just showed up…_

"Such pity creatures…." The dark hair woman mumbled and sneered. "I miss the old days when they're arrogant fools and crave for power at least they _tasted_ gutsy"

"Kneel before us, you weak mortal!" The blond rumbled, her voice echoed the room but when the crowd only gaped at her. She tsked and raised her hands. The nearest display cracked and shattered.

People screamed, shouted then dropped on their knee to the floor.

Lysandra narrowed her eyes, and stood her ground. But behind her, Tim's hands pushing her. Trying to get her to crouch down on the floor. She fought the urge to punch him, resisted his hold.

"Get down!" He whispered. "Stop drawing attention to yourself and get down, For Pete's sake, Woman!"

"I am an Amazon, I kneel to no one!" She hissed back. But Tim didn't wasted time, he swooped down and swiped her legs. Lysandra yelped and lost her balance, dropping hard to the ground, on her butt. His hand came around from behind, pressing over her mouth. The other hand clutched her left arm, bending it over behind her back. Pushing her to stay down on the ground next to him.

She struggled, even bit down hard on the fingers he had covered her mouth. But his hold tightened. He whispered next to her ear. "Stop struggle, Lysandra. You're going to dislocate your shoulder"

"Then get the fuck off me!" She hissed through his fingers.

"Stop and listen for a second, would you?!...They fried all the cameras so they're here probably to rob the place, if you draw attention to yourself, they will eliminate the threat first…And I bet you're not afraid of fighting but think about what if the fight broke out and you end up breaking that bowl you're looking for?...so can you please calm the hell down?" His voice was low next to her ear, making her shiver. It also made her want to break his fingers even more.

Lysandra wasn't sure it was her pride kicking her hide from letting Tim caught her off balance. Or something else. Something she didn't want to admit, a mix of danger and the way he took her down to the ground so easy like no one except Artemis had ever done ever since she grew up from that scared little girl she used to be. Because Lysandra was damn sure she'd made herself capable, no one would ever caught her off guard again, she might act like she was oblivious to those watching eyes, but she'd always knew. Because in some twisted way of being caught by him wasn't at all unpleasant. She was actually calming down already when he pressed himself closer to her.

She wasn't lying about how she saw through his get up. He stood out like a flag pole, radiated with those calmness even though he was rocking on his feet, body language giving away that he was nervous. Something he did to himself, changing the shape of his nose, his cheek looked fuller, black hair to fiery red and those annoying little freckles dusting across his face. He didn't look like Timothy Drake anymore. She would just scan pass him if it wasn't because of his damn present, beaconing her, pulling her in. She suspected it was something Athena did to bind them to this quest. Maybe it was their blood oath. She couldn't pin point. All she knew that she could picked him right out from the crowds.

And that pissed her off.

She hated that she felt calmer when Tim was around, like she was sitting in a peaceful garden. But it also made her sense to danger duller. And she didn't like being blind sight even the subject obscured her was pretty damn fine to look at.

Maybe she was just confused. She'd never been around a boy her age. Hades, she'd never been around _anyone_ her age. Her situation, almost got killed twice in less than a month apart, the gods and their stupid demands, all of it, it made Lysandra felt already on edge. Then Tim barged in, literary. She felt like she was tripping all over the place, she barely hold it together. It was almost too much too fast. She wasn't sure she like the calmness he gave or hate it that fault safe feeling she had.

But Tim seemed to be oblivious to that. Because he kept talking in that low, hush voice. And it angered her even more because he was right. "I believe, this has something to do with magic, everyone coming through the entrance has to pass through that metal detector scans, so they didn't carry real weapons."

"They don't need weapons!"

As though, to agree with her, the dark hair woman waved her hands. Every glass displays shattered. People screamed, some whimpered. Tim covered her with his body. Debris flew pass them, cutting his fake cheek, some caught bare skin of his arm that the sleeves didn't covered.

Tim paused behind her but his hold still in place, probably watching the situations. "Well, that's handy…"

"I bet I don't have to worry about robbing the museum now, do I?"

The blond woman strutted around the room, as if looking for something, but couldn't. She scrunched her nose. "Cordelia….there's too many mystical artifacts here, I don't know which one was the right one…"

"Then we take all of them. We can almost make use of them somehow…You there…" The dark hair woman point to the closest man that crouched down by her feet, the man lifted his face up to look at her. Lysandra saw the panic in his face fade away, replacing with a dreamy smile instead. He stood up and strode over to them.

"Yes, Mistress…." He slurred.

"One man's not going to get this done soon enough, sister!" The blond woman announced then raised both of her hands. Magic hummed in the air, released it from her, crashing out like waves. Seconds later, the rest of men in that hall rose to their feet.

_Great, They're strong enough to hypnotize people now. Damned them to Tartarus!_ Lysandra cursed inside her mind, until she felt Tim's grip loosened up. Hands dropping from her mouth and released her arm from her back. Lysandra frowned and turned back. His fake brown eyes were glazing over.

_Uh oh. Not good._ Tim was joining their mindless little army.

Lysandra snagged his wrist and pulled him down this time. But the pull was very strong. He stood up straight, with her death grip on him, it hauled her body up along with him. She muttered a curse, glancing over to the two magic users, the source of all trouble in this hall.

The hypnotized men started to grab the artifacts from the shattered displays, then mindlessly marched toward the door, Following Cordelia out the door to gods knew where. They were in the further side of the hall, and The blond woman didn't seem to pay any attention their way. She was eyeing the men as if they were pieces of meat, they probably were to her.

Tim moved further away after he grabbed the phiale bowl, all the while Lysandra was trying to pull him back. It didn't seem to be working…..

Well, then…there's only one way to get him out of this state.

"Sorry about this―wait maybe I'm not…" Lysandra muttered then shrugged. Before slammed her fist into Tim's sternum so hard, he choke. Knocking the air out of his lung. He double over, dropping the bowl. Lysandra dived down to catch it in time, skidding across the shattered glass, cutting her legs in the process. She forced herself not to wince as the blood seeping out from fresh cuts, instead she sighed in relief both from saving the bowl just in time and seeing Tim coughed hard and blinked.

"What the hell?!" He choked the word out after several minutes, giving her angry look.

"Saving your ass, that's what" Lysandra muttered. Holding the bowl in her hand. Its magic washed over her like a wave.

_Bleed for me, demigod._ It called again.

"Shut up!" She hissed. Tim gave her another confused look. "Not you, I was talking to the bowl…"

Tim's eyes gazed around him, assessing the current situation then traveled back to her. His eyes widened and rushed to her side again. "You're bleeding"

"What? Oh…" Lysandra looked back at her legs, shredded glasses stuck out from her cuts, crimson droplets slid down her legs. She ignored the slight pain and shrugged. "Don't worry about it, they'll heal later" They would, in several hours. She gritted her teeth, she'd lived for now. "We have bigger problem though"

"I can see that…" Tim trailed off a bit as his eyes went back to the blond woman who still directing the line of men holding the artifacts in hands marching out the hall. Two muscle guys in security guard uniform stood there keeping the rest of the crowds in control. Suddenly Tim swooped down, grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her behind one of the remain wooden display stand, he quickly clear any shattered glasses on the floor before settle them there, blocking the view from the chaos, away from the situation. Lysandra still holding the bowl in her arm, her back against the wood panel.

Tim gave her a slight wince as he checked on her cuts. His gaze shifted back to the robber then her, back to the robber again, then he stared at them, brows knitted, before his eyes widened. He blinked several times. Tim looked at Lysandra. "They….she….donkey face?"

_Ah, so he broke through their glamour too? Interesting. _

Lysandra gave him a small grin, reach out one hand and patted him on the arm. "Well, Stiff….you want to meet your murderers?…..here're two of them…."

His mouth gape open, and stared. After several minutes he cursed. Their eyes met. Lysandra could see something behind those fake brown eyes of his twinkled.

"Yeah, we have a really big problem…." He muttered before digging his hand in his pants pocket. Pull out a small patch and held his hand out. "Give me the bowl…"

"What're you going to do with it?" Lysandra move it out of his reach in reflex. But Tim just held his hand out patiently.

"I have a plan, you have to trust me on this…." His voice sounded assuring but she wasn't about to fall on her knees and take it.

"Trust must be earned not given, Stiff…." She narrowed her eyes at him.

Tim sighed. Then Showing her the tiny patch in his hand. "This is a tracking device, I'm going to put it on the bowl and it will lead back to their hiding. I believe you said they're three of them, correct?" She nodded. "….Then, we're going to use it as a bait….then we can also catch them for the robbery as well…."

Corners of her mouth turned down as she stared at him. The phiale bowl still called to her, more like screaming, telling her to bleed for it. Her temple twitched with annoyance, wanting to smash it on the ground and just walk away from all of this.

"Look, We will wait till tonight, see where they store all of the artifacts, when we will plan our approach…." Tim reached and clapped her arm with his free hand. She felt like swatting his hand away but surprisingly didn't. She let his palm touched her, comforting warm spread through the sleeve of her hoodie, that serene energy shifted in the air around her. Something inside her fought not to surrender. They held their gaze. And Tim held his hand out again.

Swallowed hard, Lysandra let him has his way.

* * *

Successfully avoiding being caught in the aftershock of the robbery and risk being seen by his mentor, Tim and Lysandra sneaked their way out before the police or worse, Batman arrived. Thanks to the robbers-slash-murderers they apparently fried all the surveillance cameras on their way in and cut the back up security system. The whole thing lasted less than ten minutes of chaos. While Tim pretended to be eye glazing mindless puppet, he lined up after other hypnotized victims carrying the phiale bowl with tracker to the white van without license plate parking in front of the museum before faked passing out on the pathway just like the rest of other men.

Lysandra grabbed him from the ground after the rest of panic people in the museum came out screaming, saving him from being ran over by the crowds. They didn't say anything when Tim led them away from the scene.

They found an empty alley when Tim could have a look at her cuts. Most were shallow and the bleeding already stopped. Lysandra took Liberty getting rid of the shredded glasses by digging them out herself before she left the museum. Tim knew she gritted her teeth and bore the pain while brushing it off saying they would heal in a few hours and told Tim not to fret about it and instead to check the tracker.

He did comply her, thinking how she merely shove her injuries aside and tried to work, like the time when they first met in the Park, as he pulled out his PDA. The girl didn't seem to even care about getting scarred. He shrugged it off as his PDA screen lit up. Lysandra leaned in to see, fists to her hip.

The tracker seemed to stop in The Bowery area, Tim guessed it might be one of the warehouse. But he wanted to check out the building before planning. So he told Lysandra they should wait until after dark before sneaking in and get the bowl back.

So Tim told her he would pick her up later tonight at her apartment, meanwhile they could prepare themselves for their breaking and entering. To his surprise, she agreed.

They parted at the subway, after Tim telling her to at least tend the cuts after get home. Which she just waved her hand and marched away. With her out of his sight, Tim made his way to The Bowery, his disguise still in place.

He was a few blocks away when his cellphone rang. Showing Barbara's caller ID.

She asked him of his whereabouts and updated him about the robbery at the museum. Tim made joke and asked her if Bruce wanted him at the scene before his suspension was over which she just laughed and denied, saying the man had got there himself.

Typical Bruce. Tim knew the man was exhausted, he probably only slept less than five hours but he never complained. Even shorthanded, still didn't ask for his help. He shrugged the thought away when he finally reached the building the tracker stopped. Or more like, around the corner and saw an old one story warehouse. Tim immediately spotted the guards at the front door, The white van without license plate parked on the street across from it.

Tim entered the address into property owners search. And swore when he got the result. He muttered. "Lysandra….what kind of mess did you just get me into?"

* * *

It was a little passed midnight when Tim knocked on Lysandra's door. The rugged looking blond man in his late thirties opened the door. Tim had tried to find out about the man after saw him coming and going in this apartment during his _observing_ period. Only end up in a heap of more confusion when the man named Steve Trevor, a WWII air force vet was supposedly dead more than fifteen years ago.

"You must be famous Mr. Robin…." He didn't smile. His expression placid. He didn't look surprise to see a masked vigilante wearing cape and tights showing up on his door. He was tall and well built, filling door frame with his body. For normal people would probably felt intimidate. But for someone like Tim who lived under the same roof with the Batman. It was just another day in life.

"Mr. Trevor…." He extended hand but the man didn't take it, instead he just nodded and shouted back inside. "Lysandra! Your date is here and he's wearing green tights!"

"Dammit, Steve! For the last time, He's not my date!" He could hear her voice shout back from inside.

Steve Trevor gave a shrug but still didn't let him in. He turned to give him a once over, examining him silently. After a good five minutes, he spoke. "No one see you coming up here?"

"No, sir"

"Good, now….get in here before she throw things at me" He clapped his shoulder and half dragging him inside.

Tim didn't expected to find the apartment to look very spacey, when Lysandra said her place was place was decent, he was expected it to be les― Well, he didn't really know what's to expected. This place furnished with high-end furniture, flat screen TV, a very expensive dining table for four. Kitchen with applicants to meet all the needs, Bookshelves, in the corner he spotted hanging sandbag and a treadmill.

"I don't know what you kids plan to do but whatever it is, she's very giddy about it…and I don't think it always end up pretty" Mr. Trevor muttered to him as if he didn't want Lysandra to hear. "She's been in her room all evening, polishing her arsenal…I swear, that girl loves knives and throwing stars more than clothes and shoes which is very disturbing for a girl her age…"

Tim didn't voice his opinion about how much he'd prefer Lysandra that way. He let Mr. Trevor continued.

".. and from what I gathered, she has tendency of being ruthless. It'd give me gray hair one of these days"

"So you're her guardian?" Tim asked.

"Is that what she told you?" He raised a brow.

"Not really, she just said she lived with you, who is her mother's friend…"

"That's right…" He sank down into the white sofa before gestured Tim to have a seat.

"Thank you" Tim said. Slowly sat down on the opposite couch.

Mr. Trevor grabbed popcorn in the bowl and stuffed it in his mouth. He turned the TV on, _Pirate of the Caribbean_ was playing. All the while his gaze scrutinized him, ignoring Johnny Depp swinging around from wood crane, making an escape on the screen.

He chewed slowly as he dissected Tim with his blue eyes. Even with his Robin suit on, made of Kevlar protecting him from bullets, His utility belt full of Taser, throwing disks, sedative, small explosives but this man's eyes seemed to slice, peeled every layers of him just to see what's inside. Tim forced himself not to squirm by tapping his finger on his knee. Somehow he felt like Mr. Trevor was interrogating him with that baby blues of his. Or more like a father examined a boy who came picking up his daughter for a first date but add ten times intensity.

When Lysandra told him, she lived with her mother's friend, he first thought it'd be a _female_ friend. Since she was an Amazon, having female friends was normal. And maybe this blond man was a boyfriend or a husband of that female friend. Tim didn't expect to find out Steve Trevor was actually her guardian. From the look of this apartment, only two bedrooms, Tim didn't see any sight of another female living in this place.

The man was single, probably with military background. From the way he carried himself, the way he stand and talk and the way he examining Tim. That hardness in his eyes told him Mr. Trevor had his fair share of things in this world, more than he'd liked. Violence of wars changed people, they made men harder, rougher. Military wasn't a place for a faint of heart. He was also not a bad looking, in a rugged handsome way. Stubble across his jaw and those blue eyes would probably attracted women like a magnet. Why would he shelter a young girl like Lysandra? Out of the goodness of his heart?

A sick, twisted idea made him scoffed at himself. Maybe he was just being pessimistic. Tim couldn't help it after all the things he had seen over the years. Some criminals, predators came with a handsome face, charming personality. Hiding under a shiny smile. But something in his guts, telling Tim that Steve Trevor wasn't one of those.

Still, the man was suspicious. His background check came up empty. There was no paper trial, no tax return, no pension paper. If he was military, there would at least be something to follow. Instead, Tim only found one Steve Trevor that would fit the profile and the man died almost twenty years ago at a Veteran home in Boston. Unless, he was using fake name. And people who used fake names always had something to hide. Maybe He was even in one of those special forces, explained the fake name.

"You think you can protect her, kid?" He finally broke the silence. Probably feeling Tim's scrutiny back at him. Before Tim could give any answers he continued. Tim realized it wasn't a question. "You think you can stop anyone from harming her? From her harming herself?―"

"Yes, si―"

"―Because I don't care if you worked for the god himself, you let that girl injured herself again, I will dragged you out of your nest and set your hide on fire, Do you understand, young man?"

"Yes, sir" Tim knew he was serious.

"Good"

Their impromptu conversation ended when Lysandra strode out of her room. Wearing long sleeves black leather shirt with front zipper, Her toned legs were mold by sleek black leather pants with a pair of combat boots. Her shimmering dagger tugged on her hip by the brown belt along with other knives that strapped on her thighs, upper arms. Her silver bracelets shone protectively on her wrists, fingerless gloves on both hands. Her dark hair swept up and braided into one long tail. Slung a crossbow over her shoulder, Lysandra looked at them.

Both of them stood up and gave her a long stare. She was armed to the teeth.

"What?" Lysandra raised a brow and looked at herself. "You think I need more knives?"

"You're armed enough to kill the whole entire blog, Missy" Steve said and crossed his arms. "Leave the crossbow, you're gonna freak people out with that"

"Why?" She moved the crossbow back when Mr. Trevor reached for it. "I might need it"

"Don't you say you just go in to retrieve an artifact? You don't need a crossbow to steal things, do you?" Steve gave her a look. "Beside, you don't even need all these knives, only that glittering dagger of yours is more than enough"

"We're not stealing…just borrow it!" Lysandra quipped but handed the blond man a crossbow. "And a girl can never be too prepare"

Mr. Trevor gave a snort. They exchanged a few more words as Tim watched. Their body language told him much about the relationship he was wondering about. Mr. Trevor was more like a concerned father who fuzzed over his daughter about her first overnight trip but instead, they were talking about vital points she should aim for maximum result. Lysandra only shrugged and brushed it off as if she already knew the details.

"I have suggestion" Tim said after clear his throat. Both of them turned to look at him. "Do you have anything that won't kill a man? Maybe a club or something? Because, I rather not kill anyone tonight…just disable would be more than enough"

He voiced his concern. Bruce wouldn't like it if Tim let this girl ran around his city killing people, even they're thugs.

"A club can kill people too, if you know how to hit" Lysandra said with a raised brow. And Tim bet all his gadgets she knew how to hit too. But he rather not risked it.

"Please?"

"Fine!" She let out an exasperated huff and went back into her room. Mr. Trevor tilted his face toward him with amused look.

"You seem to handle her well" He said, tugging his hands into pockets of his jeans. Tim just shrugged. He didn't really think Lysandra was that bad compared to other stubborn people he'd lived with. A few minutes later Lysandra appeared again from her door. She strapped two law enforcement issued batons to her hip, replacing two of her knives. Tim noticed she still kept her most trusted dagger on to her right side, she seemed to favor it.

"Better?" She spread her arms and let him see. He nodded, though still eyeing those deadly throwing knives strapped across her thighs and upper arms.

Yep, Bruce will skin his hide and hang it on the cave wall if he knew what Tim had done.

Thinking of Bruce, Reminding him about something. He opened his pouch, brought out his spare mask and hand it to Lysandra. "Better put this on too, you never know who's watching."

She made a face when Mr. Trevor commented. "Hey, a mask better than wearing a swimsuit like your mo―"

"Fine!" She cut him off and snatched the mask from Tim's hand. Reluctantly put it on her face with spirit gum that Tim also provided.

"Alright, children….let's get going!" Mr. Trevor clapped his hands and gestured them toward the kitchen door. "I believe, you kids will be using the rooftop route?"

"Sure, But Do you―"

Before he had a chance to finish, Lysandra pulled out her own grapping hook gun from her belt holster. She strode over to the kitchen door, leading Tim to the rooftop terrace. Mr. Trevor followed them both out.

Despite being in mid-July night. The temperature wasn't so high, Steam and smoke floating, darkened already gray sky of Gotham. Lights lit across the city. Noise of traffic played in the background.

Mr. Trevor clapped his hand on Tim's shoulder, stopping him. Tim turned back as the older man stuck his hand out. "It's my pleasure to meet you, Mr. Robin"

Tim frowned at his extended hand, earlier the man didn't accept his. Why now? He glanced over at Lysandra, she watched them as she stepped over the ledge.

Shaking the suspicious away, he turned back to Mr. Trevor and took his hand. As they shook hands, The older man didn't smile but his expression wasn't placid anymore. It was intense, his blue eyes caught light and flickering like the eye of flame. The pressure at his hand increased. At the last second before their hands parted, something slipped in his palm. A tiny piece of paper.

Mr. Trevor tilted his head toward Lysandra. "You keep her safe, You understand?"

"Yes, sir. I will" Tim assured before he walked over to Lysandra. Slipping that paper inside one of his pouch without reading it. Whatever it was he didn't want Lysandra to see.

"What's that all about?" Lysandra asked. As Tim stepped over the ledge beside her, pulling out his own grapping hook gun.

"Nothing, he just told me to keep you safe" Lysandra let out an exasperated huff. Tim chuckled and got and elbowed from her.

He looked up at the girl standing next to him. Lysandra wasn't even a bit nervous standing over the edge of a building like this. The mask hid her eyes, but he was sure it would be full of eagerness. She stood there, all deadly with weapons. A question form in his head. Should a girl like her be doing this? Looking so much at ease with knives and dagger strapped all over her body? And that was the same question Bruce had asked Dick when he started his mantle of Robin then Tim, himself when he took over. Should a kid like Dick and Tim ready for a life like this? They were just kids when they started. But that were his choice. Himself, Dick or even Bruce had never been force to walk this path. What about Lysandra? Her heritage would train her to be a fighter. But did she have the chance to ever choose?

None of these would make anything better, Right now they needed to the task they set to do. So Tim asked. "Ready?"

She smiled, flashing dimples on her cheek. "Always. Wanna race who get there first?"

She didn't even wait for his answer, Lysandra aim her gun and jumped off the ledge like she'd been doing this all her life. Tim aimed his own gun and fired.

* * *

Steve watched Lysandra and famous mr. Sidekick slung away to the next building and the next, and the next after that. Their forms were barely out of sight now. He pulled out his cigarette from his shirt pocket, put it between his lips and lit.

Inhaling in the narcotic then exhaled out the smoke. The substance made his body and senses relaxed. He smoked even heavier now than when he was alive the first time. Benefit of being second timer, living on a borrowed time. It was not like cancer could kill him now. He was only alive for one reason.

"You know, they say cigarettes could kill you" A feminine voice came behind, Steve didn't turn back to see who it was. He remembered her all too well, after all she was the one who dragged him back to life.

Aphrodite sashayed toward the edge of the terrace, joining him. She waved her hand, swatting the smoke out of her face when she came stand by him. Her perfect nose scrunched in disapproval. "Ugh. I hate the smell"

He heard her muttered something he couldn't understand, ignoring her he pumped more nicotine into his systems as he watched gray smoke floated around dark sky of Gotham. Pollution thickened in the air. Even after midnight the noise of traffic still blazing about.

He never liked this city, too much noise, too many people. How he wish he could be in Boston again. Seeing his hometown. Checking on his sister's kids, they'd probably all grown up now. Maybe even married, having their own children. But what could he do? To them, he was long dead and gone. Six feet under. And he never blamed anyone for a path of his choice.

"Do you think that kid could keep her safe?" He asked. Threw away the finished cigarette and smudged the butt with the sole of his shoe. Without blinking he lit the second one. The goddess next to him made a face at that.

"No one could keep her safe at this point" She said. Stepped away from him as she waving the smoke away again. "Maybe you forgot, our girl has tendency of pissing off people as well as put herself in trouble's walk way. But Athena thinks he was her best bet..."

"But what do you think, m'lady?" He asked.

Aphrodite gave a minute or two to think over before she said. "I think his presence complicated things. Though I wouldn't mind, I always enjoy a good tragedy"

Tragedy she said. Steve hoped she meant by the ancient plays. Because he couldn't think anyone's life could be any more tragic than the girl he took care of for a month.

Lysandra was skittish as hell. She never fully trusted him though there was some level of it. What kind of life had she been living until she came here? She never talked about her life there. Bits and pieces he gathered, led him to believe she was trained in an early age. She knew ways to execute, to kill, to make people die an instant dead as well as inflict maximum pain on the body. The girl collected weapons instead of clothing and she knew how to handle each one of them like a trained killer. Did Diana ever know what they had taught her daughter? And did that boy even know what kind of things she capable of?

Steve doubted it.

"Don't worry, handsome. Whatever happens, I am sure she can handle it. You…on the other hand….I will collect your pay soon…." The goddess said, pivoting away and with a blink she disappeared in thin air. Leaving Steve alone on that dark terrace rooftop.

He inhaled again and closed his eyes. He thought of Diana's beautiful face, her gorgeous smile and exhaled.

If only he could see that smile again before his time ran out.

* * *

**Ps;** Please don't kill me, yet! I gotta go finish the second half!

By the way, next chapter there will be some new characters in mentioning. Hint it's Jr. of red and blue!


	14. 12 Let's Dance Part2

**A/N :: **Continue from Part 1.

**Warning :: **No Beta, sorry for misspelling, I will fix that later. Explicit language, violence. Please do not try at home and young kids should not swear!

* * *

**Part 2;**

"Can we go in yet?" Lysandra asked for the hundred times from a place beside him, both lay flat on their bellies on the narrow terrace building across the street from the warehouse, watching the guard finishing his Chinese take-out. Sound of heavy metal music floated out from inside. Tim felt his mouth twitched as he lowered his binocular down. _Could this girl be anymore impatient?_

They or more like _he_, decided to wait for the sleeping pill to take effect on the guard. All the while, Lysandra kept asking him the same thing over and over. Sure, it was fine for the first few times but as the hours starter moving, so was her patient as it became thinner and thinner. Tim could tell she wasn't the kind of person who waited in the shadow, the girl wanted to charge in head on. And for the last time, he had to explain the reason. Again.

"Not yet. Come on, Lysandra. We talked about this…" Tim said.

Lysandra let out a huff and lay her chin on her arms. Looking down at the warehouse. "No, we didn't. You just said 'We need to wait until the guard to fall asleep' and we've been laying here for almost two hours! I don't see why in Hades we should wait for anything. Could we just go in, knock the guards out, get it and leave?"

"Do you know who own that warehouse?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does. The building belongs to LexCorp…." He waited for her to give him any response but nothing came so he glanced over at her. Lysandra just looked at him like she had no idea what he was talking about. "Do you know who own LexCorp?"

"Do I look like I have an idea?" Her brows knitted together, giving him a scowl.

"Well, you know who Bruce Wayne is, even know about me and Dick. I thought you would know this man, he's pretty famous…" Yeah, famous for being an evil mastermind billionaire. But the scowl on her face deepened even more. "His name is Lex Luthor. He's very rich and powerful and very smart….and been giving hard times for the Justice League since forever"

"And?"

"And it's mean if he's involved with our murderers/thieves, we have a big problem" Tim paused gave her time to think. "And you could see that those women aren't here. And we don't know how many guards are in there. So that place might be a trap of some kind―"

"See! I should never hand over that stupid bowl to you to begin with! I should just tak―"

"That's not what I mean" Tim cut in. Lysandra glared at him and rolled on to her back. She crossed her arms.

"We'll sneak in, disable the surveillance cameras. And knocked out some guards, called the cops, take the bowl and get out" He explained the plan again. Lysandra still ignored him. He clicked his lenses on the mask, checking the time. Almost three AM. "Come on. Any minute now….just think of it as hunting a game or something?"

"Pleeeease. If those men were my games they will have arrows through the necks since the first ten minute we got here…"

Tim blinked, and just looked at her. The girl talked about killing someone like she was chatting about Sunday football games. "Have….." He started, brought Lysandra attention back to him as she turned her head to the side. But the words seemed to stuck in his throat. "Have you ever…."

"Have I ever what?"

"You know….kill―" He shut his mouth. "Never mind, I really don't want an answer"

"Why? Can't handle it?" Lysandra smirked and rolled back on her stomach, her body slammed to his side. Tim tried to think about all those concealed weapons on her sleeves instead of a bright look on her face or the warmth of her body being near his―

"Not that it matters….They can't actually die anyway…" Lysandra leaned her head in and said. His body went rigid. He swallowed the lump in his throat.

"What―what do you mean?" Great, now he's stuttering.

"When the gods created the Amazons, they modeled them after the Amazons of Themyscira. They have duties to serve our creators, fuels their powers with our worship and tributes, doing the deeds they needed to be done. And what's the better way to keep a leash on them forever? By making them immortal… any fatal injuries will always heal, sure it might take time but the Amazons were warrior born, they are tough. A few maiming won't put them down. The only way to kill them is to decapitate. But beheading would pretty much kill any immortals except for some certain creature like Hydra…." Lysandra explained the details so casually, Tim just looked at her in bafflement but she didn't stop there, instead continued as her finger playing with the silver edge of a knife strapping across her upper arm. "…Every time they play war games or sparring, any blows are allowed excepted decapitation. So if you asked that have I ever kill anyone then, No. But if I ever delivered death blows then Yes. On daily basis…"

Tim forced himself not to gape. Instead, turned away from her and lifted the binocular up.

Should he be surprise? No he shouldn't. From Wonder Woman's file of the Amazons, he should have known Lysandra wasn't just average teenage girl. The files had said the Amazons had begun their traditional way of training since a young age. Their training was worse than the Spartans'. And because birth was uncommon on Paradise Island, it would make Lysandra the only young they had in millennia. He should have known she was accustomed to killing since the first time they'd met when he saw her slit the giant's throat without even blinking.

Still, it…baffled him.

_What do you expect, Timothy? Do you think she was some girly who prancing around in flouncy skirt? Hah! Nice Dream, pal! _

Train of thoughts stopped when his eyes caught the guard by front door falling asleep on his post, snoring. Tim decided this wasn't a time for discerning the details of Lysandra's life. Who was he to judge her anyway? He started his first training since he was twelve. He told himself then, it was for the greater good. Did Lysandra have the luxury of choosing her own path? What kind of life had she live until now?

It didn't matter now. They were in this together, he'd decided to help her. And he wouldn't break that promise.

Tim tugged the binocular into his pouch. And started to get up, Lysandra took that as her cue. She giddily sprang up from the cold terrace floor, checking her weapons while muttering "Finally" softly under her breath.

"There's only two entries, one is the front door, I'm covering that. All windows are barred, so another way is the glass window on the roof. But there's no way you could get in without break the glass, so we can't sneak in there by break that window. I'm going to check the guard, then cut the power…" He said as he pulled out his grapping hook gun. Tim turned to her waving his index finger." You" He started. "Wait for my signal. Remember to press the comlink before replying or it won't communicate back."

"Yeah, yeah. I remember" She swatted his finger away. Tim gave her a long look until she put her fists on her hip and said. "Get moving! Go!"

Tim gave her last warning look. Before fired his gun and jumped, slung away in the air. He dropped silently right at the front door. He rushed over to the guard to check his pulse, making the sedative he bullied the delivery guy and slipped it in earlier wasn't too much for him.

Satisfied, he pulled out the plastic cuff and proceeded putting it on both of the bulky man's wrists. _Alice in Chains' We die Young_ floated from inside the warehouse, obscured any chance of eavesdropping to see how many men they had on the other side. In time like this Tim wished he had X-ray Vision.

He was tempted to call in Nicholas Kent, A.K.A. Superboy, to be his backup in case something gone wrong. He didn't want to ask Dick for it, because if everything went to hell, and Bruce found out. At least he won't be able to touch Superman's son. Or at least, he couldn't do any real damage.

But he decided against it. Nicholas had certain reputation when it came to girls. And the idea of Nicholas flying around, flexing pectoral muscles, not to mention those hypnotized violet eyes he heritage from his mother and flashing white teeth smile around Lysandra? The thought made him want to punch a hole in a wall or rather someone's face.

Would Lysandra be infatuated with Nicholas? Would she like Nick's handsome face better?

The thought was put to a stop when he heard a loud noise of glass breaking, followed by shouting sound came from the inside. As _Alice in Chains' We die Young_ started to fade away in the air, gunshot erupted from the other side of the door. _Drowning Pool's Bodies_ started blazing. He could hear the beat pulsing through the closed door.

Tim cursed after he turned back at their earlier hiding spot. Nothing was there except empty air. Lysandra was gone.

_Shit!_

_Wait for me, my ass. _

Lysandra blew out a breath as she watched Tim jumped away. She had been wasting her time long enough. So she aimed her own grapping hook gun at the balcony of building next to the warehouse and fired. Slinging away on the opposite side from Tim. She landed on quietly the platform, getting the view on top of the warehouse roof next door.

From her location she could see all the way inside, Lysandra leaped over on the roof next door. Landed with a thud sound but no one seemed to notice since that ungodly music was blazing from the inside.

Lysandra crept over the edge of the dirty window and looked inside, pallet racks stacked on one side. Although the racks were pretty much empty. Dusk and cobwebs told her this place was abandon for sometimes until these people took over. Lysandra caught a sight of two who was finishing moving wooden boxes with a forklift. She bet they were those stolen artifacts. One was dozing off on the chair next to the door, take-out Chinese food container abandoned next to him, probably asleep because of Tim's sedative just like the guard outside. He didn't look that old like the rest, maybe in his early twenties. Two other were playing some kind of cards game not too far from the snoozing one.

Lysandra leaned in to check the surrounding. Three surveillance cameras, might not be working but she wouldn't take a chance. Next, her eyes traveled down to the muscles. Five all together, three armed with guns that she could see. The other two…..they might have anything concealed under those sweatshirt they wore.

For what it worth, They movement weren't dreamy or eyes weren't glaze over like they were hypnotized. Great, she won't be feeling bad knocking them around. And she hated guns. They were loud and obnoxious. Crossbow was much preferable for projectile weapon to her liking. But as a good Amazon brat that she was, she preferred to fight with blades. Swords were good choice if she want to show off the fight but she like something fast and lethal, she would go with knives or daggers most of the time. But these fools had to go and armed themselves with guns!

Steve had taught her how to handle firearms a few weeks ago. Even though she didn't like them but knowledge of new weapon was something she never refused to learn.

Reaching to the back of her belt, she switched the grapping hook head to a harpoon like head connect to the cable wire. The other hand grabbed throwing knives in her hand. Without further ado, Lysandra smashed the butt of her gun to the window. It shattered with a loud noise. The men shouted and she aimed her now spear gun at the opposite wall inside and fired. The spear head penetrated the wall. Dropping her body through the broken window, Lysandra swung herself across the warehouse.

The two men who were playing cards earlier jerked their bodies to her direction, one pulled out his gun. Without blinking she threw three knives to them. The other guy seemed to have no weapon, he drove away from the knives. The blades plunged right on his hands and one foot. He dropped his firearm and the knife embedded on his foot was deep to the ground locking him to the spot. Crimson liquid pooled around him.

A bullet wheezed pass her ear as she dropped on top of rack. Clicked to release the spear head from the cable as she rolled away from the bullets, she plunged and switch to a new spear head without the attaching wire. Her left hand grabbed another set of knives. She let them flied to the closet gunman as she shot the nearest surveillance camera at the same time she leaped across from one shelf to another. Lysandra didn't wasted time to see the result, she knew she always nailed the target, both the first camera and the thug who now had three knives stuck through his body locking him the nearest shelf. He moaned in pain as the blood spilled out.

Two disabled, three left.

"_What the hell are you doing?!"_

Tim's voice boomed from the comlink inside her ear. But both hands were too busy, as Lysandra shot another camera with a spear and leaped across to another pallet rack, throwing a knife at her third gunman, the blade dug into the back of his hand. He cried out and dropped his gun, Lysandra jumped off the rack, landing with her knees in his face knocking him down to the ground.

"_Lysandra! I told you to wait!"_

Tim screamed in her ear. Oh well, Mr. Stiff just snapped.

"Can't talk, busy…" She muttered as she rolled off the third gunman, she grabbed his gun and slammed the butt into his temple, clicked the magazine and threw the gun away. He crumbled on the ground. She quickly searched for the second guns, fining it laying five feet away next to the second man, she rushed to it, ignoring his cry for help, she picked up his gun, disarmed the magazine and tossed the pieces to the opposite sides. When she was about to switch another knew spear for the last camera, someone yanked hard on her braid. Lysandra fell backward with a yelp.

"You fucking bitch!" She heard the man behind her cursed, he was the one who played card with the first gunman. Ignoring the pain of being dragged by hair, she let her body swayed backward instead of yanking back. As doing so Lysandra used her free hand to pull out her knife on her belt. A big ten inches Bowie knife that Steve had bought for her. Waiting until he brought her close enough to his body, she slammed the knife into his instep so hard it went through the floor. He screamed in pain and let go of her hair. Taking that opportunity to swung her elbow backward to his face as his body bow in pain, cracking nose suggested she broke it. But he wasn't going down so Lysandra slammed her wrist cover metal into his throat then temple, knocking him over. Finally lay cold on the floor.

Lysandra got rid of the last camera. Her shit kicker slammed into the radio, broke it, stop that ungodly music from playing. As she pulled her baton out, front door busted open and Tim rushed inside.

He stared at the bloody splash on the floor, one cried in pain from three knives in hands and foot, one was staked through the flesh to the pallet racks shelf, two lay unconscious on the ground.

Huh? Someone is missing…

"What in god's name are you doing?! We have a plan!" Tim rushed to her, Lysandra swore he got smoke coming out of his ears. Lysandra shrugged and went to retrieve her bowie knife, she pulled it out and wipe the blood away on the man's shirt, ignoring something Tim bitching about.

"We have a plan! You were supposed to wait for my signal! You could get kill! They're armed with guns, for god's sake!"

"No, _You_ had a plan" Lysandra interjected. Sheathing her bowie knife back to the sheath at her belt.

"Besides, I like to go in and out with a bang…." She teased. But Tim just gawk at her.

"You're not just crazy…." He almost shouted. She could tell even with his mask obscured part of his face, it flushed red now. "You are _suicidal_!"

"Aww, baby. You say the sweetest thing?" Lysandra batted her eyelashes at him.

Tim grunted as he went to check on the pulse of unconscious ones before cuffed them. Lysandra snickered, putting away her baton and bent down to pick up a crowbar that lay around nearby the card table. Time to find what she came here to find.

As she getting back up, someone pressed the cold barrel against the back of her head. She froze.

"Don―Don't move! Or I will shoot!" The voice was full of panic. Lysandra bet that thing pressing at the back of her head was the first gun she forgot to disarm. And from that trembling voice, the one who got away was probably that babyface who doze off a while ago. She looked over at Tim who also froze midway during cuffing the fourth guy. Even the lenses of his mask hid any emotion he might have in his eyes but panic was written all over his face.

_Aww, aren't you sweet…._ Lysandra wanted to snicker, only she couldn't because there was a gun point at her head.

Lysandra gripped the crowbar hard in her hand. Tim stared at her with _What the fuck are you doing?!_-Look. But Lysandra scowled back at him and mouthed _I've got this_ to him. Ignoring his shaking head, she slowly turned around to face the barrel of the pistol and the one holding it.

"I…I said don't move!" Babyface yelled. The hand that held the gun shook. "I'll shoot!"

"No, you won't" Lysandra just said casually. Looked straight at him, Glaring into his eyes as if she was the one who hold the weapon not the other way around.

"wha..What?!" Sweats slid down his face, he was getting nervous when he saw she didn't even flinch from the gun pointing at her forehead.

"I said―" Lysandra spoke slowly with a firm voice, gaze hold his, with deadpan expression on her face. "―You. Won't. Shoot. You can't."

"What the fuck not?"

"Look at your gun, dumbass. The safety's still on…"

"Huh?"

The second Babyface tiled the gun in his hand to check on the safety, Lysandra snatched his gun as well as his hand that holding it. Panic, his finger squeezed the trigger. Shoot up at the ceiling, ricocheted off one of light bulb, shattered it in the process. Lysandra heard Tim cursed as she jerked Babyface's wrist with unnatural twist until she heard a pop. The man cried in pain from his newly broken wrist. He immediately let go of the gun. She yanked it out of his hand at the same time, letting the man choked a sob and stumbled to the floor. Chucking the magazine off from the gun instantly, she tossed the parts to opposite sides, out of anyone's reach. For now.

"Didn't your momma ever teach you not to shoot a girl?" She pointed her finger at him. Only got a whimper as answer. She grunted. "Ugh. I hate guns…"

"And I hate you! Period!" Tim rushed over, checking the man wrist.

"Oh god! I'm dying!" Babyface whaled at Tim. Lysandra rolled her eyes.

"It's only broken, you are not dying" Tim said after examined the crying man's wrist. "I'm going to put first-aid splints on for you but try not to move until EMT arrive, got it?"

He sniffled back at Tim.

_Mortal Men, so weak._ She remembered her own memory at thirteen, clawing up a hole with broken leg. She didn't even shed a single tear.

While Tim dragged the rest of the thugs back in the middle of the warehouse, all tied up and gaged. Lysandra used a crowbar to open the wooden crates. But after ten minutes of having a hard time opening the first one and started cursing all the gods she could think of. Tim walked over to her, scowling.

"You are bleeding….again" He said after taking away the crowbar from her, he eyed her upper left arm. Lysandra looked back at herself. Red blood was gushing from a wound. No wonder her left arm felt a little tingling. Now that she'd noticed, it also starting to hurt. _Ugh…_

"Bullet probably grazed it…" She lifted her arm up for a closer look, then shrugged. "I'll liv―"

"Shut up" Tim snapped and she shut her mouth. He took a look at her arm before pulled a small package out from his belt, and the gods be damned…Did that belt had everything? He torn it open with his mouth and pour dark powder on her wound. It stung, she hissed at him.

"Serve you right…" Tim bit back. "I'll look for the bowl. You. Go sit or something…" He gestured her away.

She sneered at him but didn't argue. "Maybe I will do better than sitting…."

Tim eyed her walking over to the tied up thugs. Six of them(including the outside guard) bundled up together, tied with Tim's special cabled. Three unconscious. Other three, moan through the gags in pain from their injuries. When they saw her sashayed closer to them, they started making protest noises, jerking away from her.

"Aww, don't be a baby. I just want to talk. " Smile on her face, Lysandra looked down at them. "So,...who want to play twenty questions game? You win, you keep your important body parts. You lose... Well..." She pulled out her Bowie knife, turned it back and forth letting the light caught its sharp edge. Lysandra gave them a flashy smile. "….now, who's go first?" All three of them shook their head, screams muffled by the gags Tim had put on them. "No volunteer?...Alright then….." She Pointed at each one of them with her big knife and start counting. "….Eeny…meeny….miny…moe!"

The knife pointed directly at first gunman. His eyes went wide, shaking uncontrollably, sweats rolled down his face. Lysandra stepped closer, pulled down his gag.

"I ain't tell ya nothin'!" He spat.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk!" Lysandra crouched down in front of him and waved her knife in his face. His blood shot eyes followed its sharp edge. "Wrong answer….You see, my friend over there―" she gestured to Tim who using his crowbar, trying to open the crate. "―he's nice enough to seal your wounds….But me? I'm happy to rip you a new hole, got it? Now let's try―"

"Fuck you!"

Without saying a word. Lysandra raised her knife and stabbed the man in his thigh. He whaled. Blood gushing out. "You! You crazy bitch!"

"Lysandra!" Tim yelled at her.

"What? I was just helping him loosing up his tongue" She turned back to the man. Knife still imbedded in his flesh, she gripped the handle. She smiled at him. "Now, let's try this again. Who hire you to guard these stolen artifacts?"

"Fuck off!" He spat at her again. Lysandra sighed.

"Well, since you're not gonna talk then…." She pulled the gag back in place as the older man struggle against the bondage. She pulled the knife out of his blood soaked thigh. "Hopefully, the police get here before you bleed yourself out, Asshole."

Lysandra turned to Babyface who Tim put next to the gunman. Their gaze met and he shrunk away from her. "Now, now….don't be afraid. You won't get hurt if you answered, understood?" He took a minute to think then nodded. The bloody gunman next to him slammed his shoulder at Babyface, telling him not to say anything. Lysandra just shrugged and pulled Babyface's gag down.

"Please…." His voice trembling. Tear brimming in his eyes. "…please don't hurt me. I don't wanna die!"

"You won't, if you answered. Now, the same question as I asked your bloody friend earlier. Who hire you to guard these stolen artifacts?"

"Some dude…big dude with yellow eyes. Scary, but―" The gunman elbowed him in the rib, cutting him in. "What?! You wanna die, dude? This bitch is crazy, I ain't dying here with you!"

Lysandra kicked the gunman in the wound, his bellow was muffled by the gag. She turned back to Babyface who had horrify look on his face. "…you were saying?"

"And some hot chicks, sisters I think. Though they looked nothing alike…"

"I bet they don't…." Lysandra murmured. "Do you know who own this warehouse?"

"No idea….we were told to guard the shits until they come back for transporting"

"Found it!" Tim yelled from behind the crates, he pulled out the Phiale bowl and waved it in the air for her to see. Lysandra stood up.

"Hey! I answered your questions, now please let me go. I need a doctor!" Babyface whined until Lysandra turned to him with a glare. He shut his mouth.

"You shouldn't stab that man" Tim said as he put the bowl in a protective case he brought along in his back pack inside his cape, He lifted his eyes to her, disapproving.

Lysandra shrugged. "Interrogation is never a pretty thing"

"You don't need to stab the man for information, there're other ways"

"I bet there were. But it's the fastest. You know, Killing the chickens to scare the monkeys"

Tim shook his head as he closed the case and secured it behind his back, under his cape. "As I said. You are just pure crazy…." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'd only known you less than a week. I want to shoot myself already"

Lysandra leaned in after she cleaned her bloody knife and tugged it back in its sheath, resting her elbow on his shoulder. "Aww, You said sweetest thing"

Lysandra could tell, Tim was trying hard not to chuck her face. His calm façade shimmered, she knew if she pushed too far, he'd probably snap.

But she wanted him to see. To know what she capable of. Whatever delusion he had about her that she was some spun glass princess needed to end. She didn't give a flying monkey if Steve had made him swear to protect her. This was her fight. And she wouldn't just sit around waiting for _anyone_ to make a play. Whatever happened, she could hold her own. She'd been through worse, _much_ worse with the Amazons.

And making him twitch from annoyance was so funny! The way corner of his eye would spam. His mouth became a straight line from trying to reign in emotion. And how he tried to take a long deep breath. Not to mention his hand formed a fist then he realized what he was doing so he released it but a minute later he bunched his hand again. Making his whole body shook a little.

For some reason, Lysandra almost laughed. This could be so addic―

A deep feminine laughed rumbled out of nowhere made Lysandra stopped cold, her body went stiff. That familiar laugh. One she'd never thought would hear ever again.

Lysandra spun around at the source only to see Babyface whose body shook from laughter.

Laughter and voice that didn't belong to him. She felt Tim's hand caught her shoulder, pulling her back as she unconsciously stepped closer. The laugh grew louder. And when baby face lifted his face up again, his eyes turned black, even his sclera. Sinister smile across his lips. She remembered that smile all too well.

Selia's―No, Eris's.

"Hello, princess….." Babyface said but it wasn't his voice anymore, instead belonged to Selia―Eris. "I should have known you would run to your daddy"

"I run to no one, you bitch! I was sent here because you heifer tried to steal Hermes's feather!" Lysandra glowered back at her. Hand instantly went to her knife, but Tim resisted her pull. So she snapped and snarled at him. Even then, he still held her in place. "I should have known you are the source of this mess"

Babyface/Eris laughed even louder, mocking her. "Please, you know those three sisters never care about anything but men and food….well, to them those are the same. But look at you, Having a mortal as your protector? How cute!" The bitch in a man's body jeered. "Don't you realize, Princess. That it won't matter. They will die because of you. Whoever they are. I will rip them to pieces...just like your loyal sentinel? Your mentor? I bathed in their blood"

_"I will kill you!"_ Lysandra screamed, knife raised but Tim grabbed her waist. Eric's mocking laughter echoed through the warehouse.

Flash of memories assaulted her. Artemis's morning practice, Epione's gentle smile. And their deaths, how they died for her to make an escape. Her heart shattered all over again. Lysandra could feel something inside her snapped. With sheer will power Lysandra twisted out of from Tim's hand. She roared and charged. Someone shrieked and she didn't know it was her own or Eris's mocking laugh.

* * *

Tim mentally cursed as he jumped after Lysandra. Tackling her from behind. Who knew a girl as slender as her could throw him off? Her face slammed the cold floor, knife flew out of her hand, skidded across the ground out of her reach. She fought to get free like a hell cat. But Tim pressed his knees on her back, locking her in place.

"Get off me!"

"Calm down and I will let you go"

Lysandra let out profanity that would make U.S. Navy blushed. Wondering how in the hell this girl learned that much of obscene vocabularies and this was the second time in one day he had to force her into submission.

Tim glanced over to the source of her rage, the man smirked at their struggling. Whoever that had taken over this man's body seemed to know a lot about Lysandra. And Tim suspected, her quest had just entwined with the museum robbers/murderers.

"Don't worry, Princess..." The man said, but with feminine voice, so cold it sent shiver down his spine. His black eyes gaze upward to lock on Tim, the smirk became wider, more sinister. "We'll meet again, soon. And then, I shall take pleasure in killing everything that you cherish, just like I did once before...until then, enjoy the blood trail along the way!"

Suddenly Lysandra stopped struggled, letting out a gasp. Tim held in a breath when he saw the man's black eyes rolled back in his head, his body started to convulse. His whole body shook violently as if he had a seizure. Other tied up thugs who sat beside him scrambled away with horror in their eyes. Both him and Lysandra froze at the spot until the man stopped shaking, His head lolled to the side.

For a long minute, the man whimpered in his own voice. Tim let out a relief breath when he opened his eyes, they were back to normal.

"What did you do to me?!" He whinned. Yep, he was back.

Tim was about to answer before something shifted from underneath him, so fast before he could blink. His body was rolled over, on his back. Lysandra and her glittering blade at his throat, on top of him.

"You pulled that again I will slit your throat myself!" She hissed. Tim swallowed. That playful girl who was bantering with him earlier disappeared. Lysandra got off him and sheathed her dagger. Before went to retrieve her knife.

Tim pulled out one of the thug's cell phone that he confiscated when he tied them up. "We should get going. We've got what we came for"

Tim was about to dial 911 but Lysandra snatched the phone from his hand.

"Oh no, Stiff. We won't be calling the police…." She said, a smirk painted across her pretty face. But Tim's eyes narrowed at her. So she added.

"They will" Pointed over at the tied up guards.

* * *

Lysandra was still pouting when he handed her large strawberry milkshake. She muttered "This better be really good or else…" Tim didn't say a word until she slurped some of iced cold shake and hummed in satisfaction. He just grinned. "Told you so"

She shot him a look as he sat down next to her. Both of them sat on cold terrace floor belong to one of the rooftop building in Upper West side area. A takeout bag of burger joint that opened 24 hours sat between them. The phiale case sat the other side of Tim.

After they called 911. Lysandra was still pissed at him for taking her down again, for the second time in the same day. And her growling stomach made her made her blushed and snapped at him "What?! I was just busy preparing the weapon I forgot to eat!" made him offered to feed her, again. Threw in strawberry milkshake, she seemed to be less pissed at him now.

So they settled and dug into their foods. Less than five minutes, Lysandra already on her second burger. Tim just gave her amused look.

"What? I said I was hungry"

"I can see that" he snickered.

"Shut up, stiff. Before I shove that girly food you're eating in place where the sun doesn't shine" Tim only chuckled softly and finished his girly food―Caesar salad.

Another fifteen minutes passed until they finished all their food, Lysandra slurped loudly on the remaining milkshake. When she was done, he let out a satisfied sigh. "By the gods, that was good…"

"If you don't mind me asking―" Tim started. But…

"I do"

"I haven't asked you yet"

"Whatever it is, I do mind"

"Come on. I'm just curious…"

"You know what happened to curious cat, it got gutted"

"I thought they said, it got killed?"

"Gutted, killed, maimed. Same different…" Lysandra shrugged then stretch her legs. Tim just shook his head.

"You are a very strange girl…"

"I thought you said I was crazy?"

"That too, and suicidal"

"Now, you sound like Epione…." With that, Lysandra looked away into dark sky.

"That woman who took over the thug's body….she called you princess…" Tim asked. It had been bugging him since the warehouse.

"It means nothing, it just a word, Stiff" He could tell she was avoiding the question.

"Then tell me, what did she meant by your mentor―"

"They died! Alright?!" She snapped at him. "They tried to protect me and died! That bitch killed them….and I couldn't do a thing to save them because I was too damn weak!"

Lysandra let out a long frustration sigh and turned her whole body away from him again. Trying to hide emotions on her face.

"I know how you feel….I know you want revenge. I―" Tim said. Memories of his own surfacing in his mind. "…..when my parents died, I tracked their kidnappers down. I knew where they live, where their family live. I want to kill them all. So they could feel what's like to have everything taken away from them like they did me"

Lysandra glance back at him. "But you didn't"

Tim shook his head. "No, I didn't. Not because I couldn't. But because I shouldn't. Taking a life was easy. But to live with a consequence of the action was another story" Tim paused and their eyes met. They held gaze. "My parents were dead. But I'm still alive. My life barely even starts. Why would I go to jail because I killed some worthless thugs? Besides, I could do better….I could help those who can't―"

"Yeah, yeah. By becoming his sidekick…" Lysandra murmured, she dropped her gaze and turned away again.

"Bruce knew how it was for me. He'd lived through it, he helped Dick through it…"

"I bet he did…." She muttered. Tim frowned at a little resentment he caught in her voice. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Lysandra got around to it first.

"My mother…." She started, still looking upward to the sky. "….everyone loves her. She was the perfect Amazon, perfect daughter, perfect champion, perfect…everything. Until she had me…" She laughed with mocking tone in her voice and continued. "….I am the half-blood. The mongrel. I am the weakling because half of my blood was mortal. I am something they despite, because of me, my mother was shunned by the gods…"

"From what I see, tonight. You're nothing but weak, Lysandra…"

With a snort, she turned to face him. Her voice bitter. "Don't you understand? It won't matter. To them, I am still the weak little girl no matter what I do, how many battle I won. It won't matter"

"I think you'd matter to your mother though, right"

"My mother is as good as dead, has been since I was six. Two of the queen's personal guards basically raised me. I have no friend because the whole island think I was the reason my mother in the state that she is now. Except maybe another sentinel…she was kind to me…"

Tim stunned at her words, she was basically telling him she grew up in a place where the whole island despite her existent. "I thought the Amazons weren't that petty"

Lysandra snorted again. "They are the biggest hypocrites you'll ever find" She shrugged. "But you were right…Even I kill that bitch, I technically couldn't kill her, only one I would kill was babyface"

"Babyface?"

"Yeah, that thug looked too young to be join that crew…." Lysandra pulled her knees up and hug them close to her chest. "But this is bad, Tim. Eris is involved with your murderers….only the gods know what else would be joining them" She paused. "I'm sorry we didn't catch them tonight…"

"It's not your fault they didn't show up and join the parade, Lysandra…besides, I have more clues to follow now. We know, they used one of Lexcorp's warehouse, I bet I'd find them in one of Lexcorp's properties here in Gotham…"

"Alright then" She stood up, held out her hand. "Now give me the bowl so I can finish the ritual"

"You're going to do it here? On top of the rooftop?"

"What's different does that make? Just give it to me. That bowl's been bitching ever since we got it back. And believe me, its annoying little noise is starting to get on my nerves"

Tim only shook his head in defeat and grabbed the case laying next to him. Opened it up, he saw Lysandra draw out her dagger.

"Just hold still" She said, taking off her fingerless glove. Holding her left hand over the bowl, she slashed her palm with a quick swiped. Tim winced as she gritted her teeth and squeezed the blood into the bowl.

Crimson liquid dripped from her hand and splashed on to the eye at bellybutton of the bowl. As soon as her blood started to fill up the round container. The surface started to glow. Lysandra squeezed the last drop with a hiss before pulling her hand away. The phiale bowl now filled with her blood. The red surface of the liquid glowed brighter before it began to shimmered.

Both of them leaned their head in automatically, ignoring the bump of their heads because the shimmering surface was glowing bright with images.

Tim recognized the first two right away, the famous ring of standing stone set in Wiltshire, England―Stonehenge. The image glowed for a few minute before shimmered and change. The second was crater lake in Kamchatka, Russia, Karymsky Lake. He only remembered it because it was one of the world largest fresh water lakes until recently polluted by toxic gases. The last took him a few minute to recognized, the famous snow-caped Volcano cone, Mount Fuji in Japan.

The images shimmered back and forth in loop for a few more minute until Tim felt it heated up in his hand, the blood inside started drying up and in a matter of minute, the whole bowl disintegrated.

Both of them gasped. But there was nothing but dusk left in Tim's gloved hands. A thousands year phiale bowl was gone in less than five minutes.

The museum wouldn't be happy about this, at all. Meaning, if Bruce ever known what Tim had done. His hide would be skinned alive and hang on the cave wall for the next Robin to learn the 'not to do' lesson.

"What..umm…What happened?" Sounded stupid because they both knew what just happened, They lost a thousand year old artifact! That what happened, But he asked anyway.

"It served its purpose, so it disintegrated. Those are the location of first three seals to Tartarus" Lysandra shrugged. Not looking concerned at all. Instead, she just held her opened wound to stop the blood. But it seemed to stop bleeding a few minute ago. Tim leaned in to check, seeing the wound was already started to close but Lysandra leaned back away from him.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"You are…um…too close…"

_Too close?_ His eyes narrowed at that. Hours ago they were just laying flat on the rooftop side by side, touchi― well, not skin to skin but close enough. "And…?"

"And you shouldn't" She shrugged.

"Why?" He pressed.

"Och! Didn't you hear what that bitch goddess say?" She snipped. And pulled on her glove. "Want to die early? Because that heifer will grant you your wish!"

"And why do you care?"

"I don't" She said so quick, Tim felt his heart dropped a little. "But….Athena said not to let you die and I don't want to face the wrath of gods. I like my human body as it is"

"Ah…" Disappointed. He picked up their stuffs and ready to head out. "We should get you home, it's almost dawn"

"Hey…Can I asked you something?" Lysandra said as she pulled her grapping hook gun. Tim quirked his eyebrow.

"Sure"

She looked hesitate for a minute then finally continued. "What it's like having two parents?"

Tim blinked at her question, stunned mostly. Because this girl looked so bloody sad. Was this the same girl who stabbed a man's thigh as interrogation technique? The same one who slapped armed hoodlums who twice her size around? Was this the same girl?

"I don't know, it was a long time ago" He shrugged. Because truthfully, he barely remembered his own parents until they were gone.

"But you had them once…"

"Well, they've never really did much parenting unless you count how they always put money in my account so I never have to starve." Not that he would ever starve. His house staffs always took good care of him. And Bruce always looked out for him as a family's friend. He never really felt the loneliness he should feel, instead he spent time in library, reading encyclopedias or in the lab, solving physic problems. He kept himself busy. And he was surrounded by good people….unlike Lysandra…

He looked over at her. Standing over the edge of tall building, height never seemed to be problem for her. Head held high as the wind whipped around, touching her face and brushing her hairs. She had taken the mask off and gave it back to him since they left the warehouse. Her blue eyes were dark, he couldn't see its alluring color in this time of night. But he remembered how the pair seemed to lash out any emotions inside her, showing him whatever she was feeling. And those emotions right now, shimmered out around him, her sadness, her determination, her loneliness….He didn't even know why he felt them.

So he stepped closer to her. Reached his hand to her shoulder, rested it there and squeezed. Lysandra looked at his hand then back up at his face. Uncertainty in her eyes. So Tim just gave a smile and said. "It's my choice, you know….to be close to you or not….no one's going take that choice away from me. Not even you…"

She stared at him for a long moment before their gaze broke. She pulled herself away.

"And people said I'm as stubborn as a mule. Clearly…they haven't met you yet" She muttered.

And Tim just laughed.

* * *

They separated a few blocks before Lysandra reached her apartment loft. Or more like she shooed him away. She was tired and the wound in her arm ached. After a day full of events, almost made her feel like she was back in Themyscira, training with Artemis and Epione again.

Thought of Artemis and Epione brought a painful jab inside her. Tim was a fool for not listening to what she'd been telling him. If anything happened to him, it would be her fault. That cow goddess had laid her eyes on him now. And even Lysandra might now be able to protect him from that bitch.

But inside, she felt relief. Somehow, knowing there was someone willing to be her friend even with all that risk. It made her a little content.

Lysandra sighed. Her body felt a little too heavy than usual. Possibly from the injuries today. All the blood loss, making her feeling a little sleepy. Blinking her eyes to rush the drowsiness away, she reached her rooftop terrace.

She frowned when she saw no light coming from inside. Steve always left some light on so she wouldn't stumble upon anything and break her neck by falling over. But tonight there was no light. From the outside, it was complete darkness.

Something was not right.

Lysandra pulled her knife out in one hand, ready for anything that waiting for her inside as she crept across the empty terrace toward the door connecting outside to her kitchen. When she reached it, noticing that it was slightly ajar.

Something definitely wrong.

Lysandra narrowed her eyes as she pushed at the door, opened her other senses since she wouldn't be able to see as well without the light. She'd have to relied on her ears and nose instead. So when she first stepped inside, she paused.

The smells hit her first, rusty like blood and rotten like eggs. Lysandra stood there for a moment. Someone whimpered in the dark, familiar voice that made her rooted to the spot.

Her heart slamming in her chest, sweats rolled down her forehead. Lysandra slowly, quietly reached her free hand to the light switch by the door. A whimper came again and she switched the lights on. What she saw almost stopped her heart from beating.

The whole loft was ransacked, trashed, furnitures knocked over, slash marks on the couch, bookshelves fell over, the flat screen TV cracked. But it was the sight in the middle of her living room that made her breathing stopped.

_No! No! This is not happening!_

Steve sat limply on a dinning chair, head lolled to the side, his hands tied separately to each side of the chair legs, his wrists were slashed, blood still dripped down from the wound, pooling on the carpet. His cotton shirt stained with dark red, his chest was slashed open several times. He whimpered again.

Her legs gave out and she dropped on to her knees right in front of the older man. Her hand reached out cupping his face.

"Steve! ….oh god, oh gods…..No, no, no!" Her throat hurt from trying to get the words out. Her hands trembling when she lifted his chin up. His handsome face was battered, cuts on his lips, bruises on his cheek, one of his eye was swollen shut and one that wasn't, fluttered before it opened. His blue orb fixed on her.

"…tie…." He struggled to the word out, after gritting his blood covered teeth for a few moments he finally succeeded. "…cut….the….tie…."

She blinked the tears away for several second before realized what he was saying. "Yes! The tie!" Forcing her hands not to shake, her knife sliced the plastic cuffs on his wounded wrists. she helped Steve from the chair before laid him down on the carpet floor.

"This…..this is my fault….." she choked back the sob. Hovering herself over Steve's battered body. Lysandra looked down at her crimson stain hands, blood that wasn't hers but Steve's. A sob wrecked her body as she wiped the blood away from his cut cheek. But there was so much, too much blood. "….this is all my fault!"

"….c…..here….." Steve blinked away the blood that rolled down from the cut above his good eye. He tilted his head for her to come closer. Lysandra rubbed her wet cheek with the back of her hand and leaned in.

"Key…fr…..front…pocket…." He managed a small nod to his shirt pocket. Lysandra's trembling hand reached inside his blood soaked shirt pocket. Her finger caught a cigarette pack, she pulled it out, seeing half empty _Lucky Strike_―the only brand she ever saw he smoked. Her teary eyes frowned at him in confusion. He nodded again, signaling her to open.

When she did, they pack only have one cigarette left inside and a small lighter but also a small piece of paper and a key tugged inside. She looked up from it and stared back at the man.

"G….give me….the last…..one…you…save…the rest…" Lysandra almost shook her head. The man was beaten so badly but he still wanted to smoke!? By all the gods…..what was wrong with him?!

But she gave it to him anyway. With her shaking hands she put the cigarette between his mouth. Steve struggled to sit up, he winced from possibly broken ribs before Lysandra lit the roll. She watched him inhaled and exhaled before tugged Lucky Strike pack in her pants pocket.

"You need a doctor….I'm going to take you to hospital….hold o―"

"No…..No time….." He said with a firm voice. Lysandra glared at him. So Steve gave him a small smile. He took another breath of that horrible thing before continued. "Gun….under the table….give me…." He nodded toward the end tabled a few feet away. Lysandra remembered it was one of the location Steve had stashed his gun.

She went to retrieve the Desert Eagle that lay hidden under the table. But when she about to turn around, something sharp pieced into her lower back. She gasped as the pain erupted.

"Hello, Halfling…" A feminine voice whispered into her ear, she felt a twist of the blade in the flesh of her back before it left her body. The pain blinded her as she dropped to the floor. Steve's Desert Eagle slid from her hand. She could hear Steve screamed out something that sound like her name when she hit the carpet. Lysandra felt something pushed her body to rolled over on to her back, realized it was someone's foot―more like high heel…

A beautiful redhead smiled down at her as she licked the blood from a small blade. Her designer cloth, soaked with blood―probably Steve's. Lysandra's wide eyes glared up at her when she hummed in satisfaction. After a few minutes, the redhead's pretty face shimmered and the glamour broke for Lysandra to see, just like at the museum. She was one of those Empousa whore! How did she find her?! "Hmm….yumm….You blood tastes so good!"

"…W…..Whore!" Lysandra gritted her teeth. Trying hard to subdue the agony from the wound on her back. Blood seeping out, soaking her shirt.

"Och! A freak like you have guts to call me names? Me?! The most beautiful woman who walks the earth!" The redhead scrunched her nose in disgust.

Lysandra laughed at her words. Making the bitch frowned. "What's so funny, mutt?!"

Laughing hurt her even more. But she won't back down like a helpless victim for this horse face to have any power over here. Gritting her teeth again, she forced herself up, one hand reached back to her wound, pressed it to stop the blood. With her body, she'd heal soon. The other hand grabbed her bowie knife, but didn't pull it out just yet.

"…You. Are. So…Funny…" Lysandra gritted the words out. Mocking smirked painted her face. "Maybe you are, if you meant by your _horse face_ family"

The witch shrieked and Lysandra felt her pointy shoe connected to the side of her jaw, salty taste of blood bloom inside her mouth. The redhead bitch grabbed the back of her head and pulled Lysandra up by hair.

She shouted in Lysandra's face. "You stupid little shit! You dare insult me?! Wait until we're done with you. I swear to the gods, I will drain you dry myself then skin your pretty face and use it to decorate my wall!"

Lysandra spit blood in her face then smirked again. The ugly horse face bitch shrieked and backhanded her. Lysandra flew back hit the destroyed couch. Her back hit the metal base of the seat, pain exploded behind her eyes.

"You think you're so smart, you shit!" The redhead Empousa marched over to her, stepped over Steve who trying to sit up again. She reached Lysandra, grabbed her by the throat. But this time there was a sardonic smile on the bitch's face. "….you think you found the artifacts we took so easily? We let you, you mutt! We don't even need those damn stingy pots. We always knew where the seals are…..we're just baiting you" She paused and squeezed Lysandra's windpipe tighter. She laughed. "Now…..I will kill your handsome friend over there, and bring you back to my sisters. The bitch Eris thought we can't do things without assisting? I will prove that wench wrong!...And I will enjoy sucking your handsome friend dry…."

"..s..th..is…." Lysandra breathed the word out.

"What?"

"I….said….suck this, bitch!" Before the Empousa had a chance to actually knew what she was saying Lysandra slammed her dagger into her abdomen to the hilt, twisted and pulled out. She shrieked and let go of Lysandra. Staggered backward, blood gushed out from the deep wound Lysandra just inflicted.

"You stupid whore! You bleed me!" Her bellow echoed the loft. Lysandra coughed in the air, hand gripped her weapon tight. She could feel magic in the air become thicker. But this witch couldn't do much damage to her when she's alone, without her sisters, she couldn't go full force attack with magic.

"The only whore in this place…." Lysandra hissed through her teeth as she tried to get up and stood her ground. Shimmering dagger in her hand. "…is _you_!"

The Empousa shrieked with a high pitch voice in rage, all the glass/windows shattered at the power of it. Her hands flailing about and a force of magic hit Lysandra in the face. She flew backward from where she stood. Slammed into something before knocked to the ground. The pain erupted again from wound on her back making her vision dimmed.

A groan came from the wall behind her.

Then she realized there was no wall she slammed into. More like a solid body of someone.

"I left you alone for a bit, you went and pissed of some horse face woman" Tim grunted from behind her, still in his Robin suit. Lysandra rolled off him, clenched her fists from pain of the wound at least she successfully forced herself not to pant, she still had some dignity!

But then Tim suddenly grabbed and spun her around, taking away her dagger. The pain choked air out of her and she whimpered. "You are bleeding, again…"

"I am well aware of that! Considering I'm the one who got stabbed in the back!" She yelled at him then winced from the pain. His hand suddenly pressed on her wound, ignoring the blood seeping out he kept his hand there. She could only glower at him.

Another shriek brought both of their attention back to the situation. The red hair Empousa fixed her dark eyes to both of them. She jeered. "Come to die, Mortal?"

"Not today, lady"

But that wasn't Tim's voice.

Steve leaped from the floor Lysandra thought he was laying and grabbed the Empousa by the neck from behind, Locking his battered body with her as she struggled and flailed around to get away from his hold. Desert Eagle barrel pressed at her temple. He glared passed her to Tim. "You are late, _boy_"

Tim shrugged and before Lysandra knew what in Hades just happened. Tim fastened her body to his with some ridiculous straps, her back to his chest and one of his arm tightened around her waist, he dragged her backward to the door leading to the rooftop terrace.

"What in the unholy gods are you doing?!" Lysandra screamed and fought to get away. But Tim just kept his hold on firmly her.

"Keeping you alive" He simply said.

"Get her out of here, boy. Even you have to knock her out!" Steve shouted from his struggling with the Empousa. Lysandra just stared at him in disbelieve.

"You knew of this!" She stomped her foot on his instep. Tim yelped.

"Damn it, Woman! Stop that!"

"Or what?!" She fought harder, ignoring the pain from her wound.

"Or this…" A slight prickle at her side of her neck. She instinctively slapped her hand over.

"Why you people keep stabbing me!" She bellowed as Tim pulled out a small needle out of her neck.

"So you don't get killed?" Tim grunted when Lysandra buttheaded him. So he yelled back at her. "Dammit, woman! Stop fighting, your wound is gushing like a waterfall already!"

"I'm not leaving Steve here to that mad cow! Or horse? Whatever! I'm not leaving him here with her!"

"He asked me to get you out. So I'm getting you out!"

"Whenever that happened…." She paused. Then started fighting again. But this time her pain started to dull and her vision clouded. She realized what Tim just stabbed her with. "You!….you drugged me!"

"Sedated, more like…Now stop fighting, you need that wound tended" Dragging her to ledge of the rooftop. Lysandra's body starting to give out.

"I'm not leaving Steve there!" She bellowed as Tim pulled out his grapping hook gun.

Screams bellowing from inside of her loft, gunshots erupted and before Lysandra knew, her apartment exploded.

* * *

"I told you I don't like to hit girls, My momma taught me better" Steve gritted his teeth as he ducked the flying TV that wheezed pass his head. He ignored the pain in his body.

"You worthless mortal!" The mad woman screamed, Steve almost sighed. Typical Red head….such temper.

Steve ducked under his dinner tabled that was knocked over since those bitches entered his home. Beat him up, slapped him around, ransack his place. He didn't even fight back. Because he knew his time was about to run out. After they bored with torturing him, the two eldest left their baby sister with him, waiting to take Lysandra in.

But he wouldn't let that happen.

Steve didn't know if he could trust the boy to be the one who get her out when he gave him instructions in that piece of paper earlier before they left doing their things. He seriously didn't think the boy would have enough gut not to tell Lysandra.

But he guessed he was wrong about that boy. At least he knew, someone would look after her when it was all said and done for him.

He dug into his pocket for special ammunitions he had custom made a few weeks back. switching regular rounds out he put incendiary rounds into magazine instead. Pulling the slid back and released, he loaded the chamber.

"Your gun won't kill me, you stupid mortal!"

"Who said I'm shooting you?"

He smiled at the pretty but vicious female. Too bad, she was some hideous creature underneath those beautiful skin. But not everyone would be pretty inside and out, Not like Diana.

He aimed his Desert Eagle. The bitch uttered her high pitched screams. Steve emptied his rounds at the gas tank under the stove he left it on when Lysandra was fighting off the crazed female.

He smirked his bloody teeth at her stunned face. The tank blasted. Destroyed everything in its path, his temporary home for his second life ―the place where he sheltered a daughter of the only woman he ever truly loved, the monster screamed engulfed in flame, as well as his shattered body.

He pictured Diana's beautiful smile. Only regret that he wouldn't be able to see her ever again. And the darkness claimed him.

This time, it was forever.

* * *

"Steve!" Lysandra screamed as He swung away from the burning building. They almost gotten knock over off the ledge from the force of the explosion, if Tim fired his gun a little too late.

Lysandra still struggled in his hold. Tim wished the sedative would work already. Because they would drop to the street below for real if she didn't stop her flailing about!

Landed hard on the rooftop terrace several building away, he slammed his back to the cement floor, shielding Lysandra from the impact with his body.

"Get me back there right now! I have to help Steve!" Still screaming and blood gushing out, Lysandra still trying to roll off him.

If she didn't stop, then Tim would have to make her so.

He reached inside his pouch, pulled out another sedative dart and jammed it in her neck again, she gasped.

Double dose finally made her body slower, Tim muttered apologized, knowing she would punch him or break his nose for his action. But Mr. Trevor had asked him to get her out to safe place. And the girl needed to stop going crazy because her wound was still streaming blood. At this rate she was going to die from blood loss first.

"..you….trai…tor…." He could feel the rage from her word as her body limped then stopped moving altogether.

Tim almost sighed as he tightened his hold on her waist then lifted both of them up from the cold ground where they landed. He pushed her unconscious against his, checked her pulse then tightened the straps on their body. He dragged both of them to the edge of the building that when the small PDA he installed in his gauntlet beebed.

Tim lifted it up and checked. The small screen notified the test he ran against The Justice League Database the night before at Dick's apartment. He narrowed his eyes as he pulled out the result.

Tim almost dropped off the ledge when he saw it.

"I am so dead…." He muttered and looked down at Lysandra unconscious body strapping to his chest.

Yep, he would be so fucking dead when Bruce found out.

* * *

It was almost dawn when he teleported back to Justice League Watchtower in the orbit. After a long day full of events, First robbery at the museum then the police got a call from said one of the robbers, turning themselves in with the stolen artifacts later tonight. And a few minutes ago, Barbara just informed him someone was trying to hack into Justice League personal profile database.

He was even crankier than he already was as he marched through the hallway. Heroes and civilians working that night jumped out of his way, some turned their gaze away, fearing unexplainable wrath of the Batman.

He just wanted to get here, get the system locked then get out so he could have some sleep before another full long day when he march passed Monitor Womb. Before he could walk away a blur of blue and red obscured his vision.

"Hi, Batman!"

Batman glared at the teenage hero who was the son of his longtime friend and fellow comrade. The boy was tall and built for a seventeen years old, he knew it was the result from playing football at his high school in Metropolis.

Nicholas Kent, also known as Superboy inheritaged his father's look and that too bright smile. Though he was wearing a mask to obscure those violet eyes he got from his mother.

"Dad's looking for you!" He chirped and Batman tried hard not to cringe.

Sure, the boy was so friendly. Maybe too friendly with the female heroes or any females in particular. But no one could be this perky in front of _The Batman_! He didn't even know a boy could be this _bouncy_ to begin with.

"What did he want?" His baritone didn't even affect the kid. He just shrugged back at him.

"Tell him I will be at the mainframe quarter" He quickly sidestepped and continued his march to the destination. Ignoring the boy's _OK!_ shouting after him.

And he never resented his decision for let his friend's son join the league as a junior member this much before in his life.

* * *

Whoever trying to hack into The League Database was very good, they covered their tracks well. But He was _The_ Batman. He invented the system himself for it to worked along with Martian, Thanagarian and Kryptonian technology.

The supercomputer hummed in that quiet quarter. Only authorized personals could enter this chamber. His fingers moved fast on the large keyboard, making _click click_ sound as he continued in silent. He wanted to know what this hacker wanted, why would he target the League personal file.

The file itself contained all personal profiles, physical datas, DNA, phsychological evaluations, ect… of Current and former Justice League members as well as the junior members. That meant if this hacker got hands on it, he could made millions by selling the information to the media or worst…to the bad guys.

He finishing typed in the last of codes, before he clicked enter. And the safe guard system he installed would work itself, telling him what he wanted to know. Nobody knew about this safe guard system excepted for maybe J'onn who was another person who could operate the safe guard in case he was unavailable.

He leaned back in his chair and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was really tired. Patrolling the city without Tim's help seemed to be a bit of bad idea. Not that he would ever admit it to the boy. A few more days to go and Tim would be back as Robin. And if he let Tim got away with what he did by cut the suspension down, the boy would never learn.

Although he was surprised with what happened. If it was Dick, he wouldn't. But this was Tim he was talking about.

Tim was very different from Dick. While Dick struck right out for what he wanted, Tim would just watch and wait. He was sneakier than anyone realized. Tim had patient, he could wait for hours, days without blowing the cover. Tim, who always had plans in his head and follow them through. The quiet boy who loved solving puzzles, who approached problem with gentleness but firm resolve. Tim who never jumped first, asked question later. Tim was more like him than he would ever admit.

Braced his elbows on the edge of keyboards, Bruce put his hands together as he watched the system ran the cod on the large screen. Only light in the chamber was the monitor itself.

His memories of this room brought something back into his mind. He always thought of it whenever he was here, a memory of that one moment, when everything changed. That time when he installed the safe guard system seventeen years ago, it still fresh in his mind.

"_You know, you can't keep running away from me every time we met, right?" _

_He didn't have to turn around to meet the sole owner of that voice. There was the only one who stuck in his mind and he never seemed to be able to let her go..._

_Diana…_

"_I can't give you want you want, Diana…." _

"_Enough with the bull, Bruce…we both know we attract to each other. And by the gods, it pissed me off every time you keep running away from what we could have! If you don't want me why did you kiss me, then?" Her voice was full of anger and uncertainty. _

_He knew she was more than angry. After Him and John came back from that unexpected Time-Travel mission and saw Diana faded before his very eyes. Something inside him snapped and he dragged Diana out of the cafeteria into some unused conference room and kissed her blind. They made out like some hormone-driven teenagers. By the time he realized what he did. Diana had her long legs wrapped around his waist and arm around his neck. Her blue eyes blinked at him when he shoved her away and ran―well, he would say walk very fast away. Like a coward that he was._

_It was two weeks ago. And Diana kept coming at him, wanting an answer of some kind… He successfully avoided her, until now._

_Gave a big sigh, he turned around meeting Diana who was in Wonder Woman attire. Fists to her hip, long legs crossed at ankles. Leaning to the door frame. Eyes narrowed at him. She looked….beautiful. Even she was obviously pissed off. _

"_Because I know you deserve better, Diana…."_

"_No, Bruce…" She crossed her arms. They held gaze. "….I deserve what I want…." She paused but never let her eyes drop from his. "..But I guess we can't have everything we want now, can we?"_

_Silence dropped between them as they stared at each other. Every second passed he could see her expression change, from anger into sadness. He hated making her look like that. His heart couldn't take it when she looked like that._

"_Sometimes….we can…." His voice was low, lower than usual. He should shut his mouth and let it go. Let Diana go, because she deserved someone better than him. But that was something about Diana that he could never did what he should be doing. Instead, he stood and crossed the room in less than a second he was in front of her. Pulling her close. _

"_Can we?" She asked, their noses almost touched. She gazed down at his lips and he gazed into her blue eyes. Her hand touched him through his suit, the suit that was bulletproof, but he felt naked every time Diana touched him. _

"_Yes…" No. That what he should have said. No, then walked away. But he didn't. _

"_Then….." She started. "…I want that dance you own me…"_

"_Sure, I will let Alfr―"_

"_No, Bruce. I want that dance now….no more stalling. Right here, right now"_

"_But―"_

"_Hush, Batman…Or I will start getting testy"_

"_Can't have that, can we?"_

_She gave him a small grin. "Well, then get me some music, I don't care what it is. Do that thing with your computer…like Flash did sometimes when we had monitor duty so we can pull up some music…"_

"_You and Flash…need to spend less time together"_

"_Jealous?"_

"_Maybe" _

_Diana laughed as he turned to the supercomputer behind him, entered some code on and he was able to put the radio on, familiar tune played in the air. Diana didn't wait, she strode right to him and took hold._

"_I thought I was supposed to lead?"_

"_If I waited for you, probably take me another ten years" Diana said with a smile, they started swaying to the rhythms._

_There is freedom within  
there is freedom without  
Try to catch a deluge in a paper cup  
There's a battle ahead  
many battles are lost  
But you'll never see the end of the road  
While you're traveling with me _

"_I like this song…" She said as he swirled her around. He didn't answer, just kept moving with her._

_In that moment, he knew what he always suspected. How simple for both of them. How easy for them to be together…..but He was the Batman, and Batman never did anything easy._

_Hey now, hey now  
Don't dream it's over  
Hey now, hey now  
When the world comes in  
They come, they come  
To build a wall between us  
We know they won't win_

_He looked into her eyes as they moved along the tunes. He pulled her closer, they were nose to nose―_

"Superboy told me you are here" Familiar voice made him snapped back to the present. He leaned back, shut his eyes then re-opened them.

"What do you need, Superman?" He asked without turning back.

"Well, I just want to check how you are doi―"

"What are you? My therapist?"

"No, but―"

"Then please, stay out of―"

The beebing sound had his attention back when he turned and looked at the screen.

More than twenties pictures of a teenage girl with long black hair wearing nothing special but a T-shirt and a pair of shorts. Baseball cap on her head. The photos were obviously snapshots, surveillance pictures. Only some angles he could see her full face without the cap in the way. Those cheekbones, full lips, stubborn chin. But it was those eyes….those dark blue eyes that made his breath hitched.

Then he saw what the hacker had been trying to do. Running the DNA test against the members of Justice League, currents and formers. His eyes glued to the screen.

"Jesus..." Superman stepped closer to the monitor and stood by his chair. "Is that…..?"

He stared at the result. The DNA Profiles of both his, Wonder Woman and possibly the girl in the surveillance photos on the screen. Percentage of paternity and maternity match both were 99.99%

"…Yes…." His voice didn't sound like his own anymore. But there was nothing for him to do about it. He could only stare at the dark hair girl with darkest blue eyes just like his own.

* * *

**Ps;** Well, Told you it's loooong! A lot of things happened in this chapter. And yeah, Bruce finally know about his daughter! But the suspend has not end, I can say this. It's only begun! LOL

And…There goes our Steve! (duck shoes from Steve's fans) RIP (again) Steve!

Also, new character introduced. Teenage son of Clark and Lois! I decided not to go with names like Cornor or Chris or whatever that starts with C. And I just like the name Nicholas, Nick for short.

Next chapter….ehh I don't want to estimate because I seem to miss the deadline every time OTL. But there will be more actions next chapter. And what Batman will do after he found out?

Until the next chapter! Don't forget to review after reading!


	15. 13 Turning Table

**Disclaimers ::** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N ::** Apologize for late update. Life has kept me busy. I am in the process of moving back to Thailand. Still have much packing to do! *sobs*

**Warning::** No-Beta. I will try to correct the misspell later. Some Strong Language. And some new characters are being introduced in this chapter! Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**Chapter 13 :: Turning Table.**

_Lessons learned, bridges burned to the ground,  
And it's too late now to put out the fire,  
Tables turned, and I'm the one who's burning now._  
**- Daughtry , Crawling back to you.**

"What is this?"

He glared down at a person who supposed to be his friend ―a few people whom he trusted, a hand that holding a small disk out to him. And he knew from the other man's squeamish expression that his ever famous Bat-glare was making the Man of Steel nervous as hell.

And Bruce sure this a little piercing gaze was nothing compared to what he actually wanted to do to his colleague right now. After he found out, not only Clark and J'onn knew about Diana's _situation_. Either of them had said a word to him.

After all this time, he went looking for her like a fool….

Clark spilled the beans after they both saw what the hacker had been trying to do―comparing DNA of this girl to any members of Justice League. Bruce listened without blinking while the man of Steel telling him that he and J'onn found out about Diana's pregnancy after they hauled both of them up to Medical from that faithful Amusement fiasco. And that Diana had made them promised not to tell him.

After that Clark fled the mainframe quarter and came flying back within a minute with his Superspeed, bringing the said object in his hand.

"What is this?" He pressed again. His voice lower than usual.

"Di….Diana asked me to give this to you, when you…umm….know about her daughter―"

"―_My_ daughter"

"Yes. I mean, yours, hers…" Clark paused when Bruce seemed to just keep glaring at his hand. "Look, Bruce. Diana had me and J'onn swore to never said anything to you…..I'd wanted to, I swear. And I know so did J'onn…."

_Oh, Really?_ He glared harder. Clark swallowed and put the disk on the table near the large keyboards.

"Since J'onn is still off-world mission with Green Lantern….You'll get only my side of story. I'm not saying I'm making excuse to get out of it. I know my promise with Diana hurt your feelings―"

His brow quirked under the mask. "You think you'd hurt my feelings?" His voice low and cold. "….No, _Superman_. Your promise to Diana didn't just hurt my feelings. It'd taken away _years_ with _a daughter_ I never knew exist"

He turned away from his friend. Bruce couldn't stand another look at Clark anymore. His gaze lifted up and met photos on the large screen. The girl who supposed to be his daughter and their identical dark blue eyes. His hands fisted into balls.

"…I'm sorry, Bruce….Diana's my friend too…" Clark's voice laced with regret. "And I just wanted to help her―"

"Help?" Bruce forced himself not to snort. "You'd helped enough. Now, Get out. Get out before I did something we both will regret…" He didn't raise his voice. But he could feel anger pulsing along with his words.

"….Just…look at the disk, alright?"

Bruce didn't reply. He didn't even glance back. He heard Clark let out a breath then a few second later, the mainframe quarter door slid open then shut. He was by himself again.

All alone and the truth right in front of him.

The girl looked mostly like Diana, she had her chin, her cheekbones and her full lips. But her eyes, rounder and the color of dark blue―like his. She would be around Seventeen now. What would she be like? Did she knew about him? Why was she even in Gotham? Was Diana with her?

His gaze slid to the disk his friend had left on the table. He reached for it and held it in his hand. and stared.

Did he really want to know what was in this disk? What Diana had to say? Was he ready to go through this again?

Sharp pain raced through his mind as the distant memory surged. He still remembered that certain moment when he finished reading Diana's letter….

He remembered anger, disappointment and denial.

His jaw clenched, He shut his eyes and trying to bury that memory to the back of his mind. Bruce willed himself to take that disk out and slid it into the slot.

Super Computer hummed lowly as it loading the disk's content. Less than a second later a new window popped up on the large screen. A video file started playing and Diana in her Wonder Woman's attire staring straight at the camera. Her blue eyes saddened and puffy as if she had been crying.

"Hello, Bruce…." She started, Bruce gripped the keyboard for support….Her voice, coarse and raspy like she had been screaming for hours. But she smiled at him―at the camera, and continued.

"…If you are watching this then it means you'd met our daughter― Well, technically I don't know It will be a girl. Although the source seemed to be very sure that I will…." Her gaze trialed off, looking a bit sadder than before. "….anyway, I am sorry you have to know about her this way. I wish I'd been there and telling myself. But if you'd met her without me, that's only meant one thing….My time is up"

_What?_

Diana on the screen looked back at the camera and gave him the saddest smile, she still looked so beautiful. "….There's war coming, Bruce. One that will make me a casualty. Our child is a key to this war, someone―something….would want to harm her, hurt her. I cannot let her fall victim to them before the time is right. But I don't know how long I'll have. So I am taking her to Themyscira, to train in our Amazon ways. My mother shall look after her when I'm gone. Please understand that I didn't stay because I don't trust her life with you….She just…she'll need our knowledge, ones you might not be able to give. And I do not want to burden you from your duty….I know you love your city, As I've loved mine..…" Tear brimmed in her eyes as she quickly swiped it away. "I'm going home. And I love you, Bruce. Remember that will never change, whereever I'll be….I'll always love you and our daughter. Please take care of her and love her for me…."

The video feed died a second later. His heart felt like someone just threw it up in air and let it free falling…

_My time is up._

_..When I'm gone…_

Did that mean what he thought it mean?

His gloved hands gripped the computer for support when his legs threatening to give away.

_…..When I'm gone…_

Diana's gone?

Gone as in….passed away?

Why? How?

No. that's not true. He wouldn't believe it until he saw her body…her grave.

Bruce clenched his fists and looked up at the surveillance photos again. His eyes locked on that one picture his daughter-wearing bright red T-shirt, a pair of denim shorts and sneaker stood with both hands behind her back, looking down at street performer. The shot was taken inside what appeared to be subway walkway tunnel. She was smiling, appeared pleased at the performer. Another shot zoomed in at her face, showing dimples on her cheeks.

This girl….._ My daughter. _

The word seemed so alienated to him. Never in his life, he'd never thought he would have a chance to dream of having children of his own. Let alone, a daughter. With Diana.

_I was born from magic, Bruce. I cannot have children without a divine blessing. _

He remembered what she told him. That why they never used protection. And since she wasn't in a good grace with her gods by gotten banished from Themyscira, they never thought of petition to have that kind of blessing from her them.

He should have known something wasn't right. Her sudden departure, the disappearance of Paradise Island. And now after seventeen years, his daughter was here in Gotham.

His hand moved, clicking away at the screen. Tracing her details from those other surveillance photos. She had his eyes. Not just the color but the same kind of eyes that made his scowl deepened.

The eyes that older than the owner's age.

He had that kind of eyes ever since he lost his parents. Dick had that kind of eyes when he lost his, Tim also had that kind of eyes as well.

The eyes that knew losing, knew of loneliness.

_My time is up._ Diana's word echoed in his mind. Resonated within, refusing to let him forget.

It didn't show in all of the photos though, he only had a glimpse of it. Whoever did the surveillance sure know how to capture the moment, looking for vulnerable spot. The way he taught both his protégés.

So came along next question, which one of his protégé trying to hack into Justice League Database?

Bruce narrowed his eyes to the IP address of the computer that was used to hack the database. Whoever did it rerouted their tracks well but he was better, and another few minute showing the password that was used belong to Nightwing.

His gaze narrower as he pulled Dick's league schedules and mission logs. While he didn't doubt the reason Dick would be doing surveillance on a daughter he never knew he had, he did wonder was it really Dick who did it.

The mission logs showed date and time when the photos were taken that Dick was up here doing some training with junior members. So there was only another person who could do this kind of work.

Tim.

But in the devil's name his current protégé spending time on surveillance on this girl. How did they even meet? And he was doing it while on suspension from patrol. Did Bruce just give him the chance to do all these?

Well, only one way to find out.

He activated his comlink and called Barbara.

"Batman to Oracle" He said in his low baritone voice, calm and controlled even though inside he was erupting like a volcano.

A few minutes later a groggy voice greeted him back. "Oracle here"

"Find me Nightwing and Robin. I need them both up here at the Watchtower. Now."

A few minutes of silence before Barbara replied back. "Nightwing is already at the Watchtower….It'll take me a bit to find Robin…" another paused. "Is everything alright?"

He just found out the only woman he'd forever in love with bore him a daughter. And the said daughter was there in Gotham city, right under his nose. Apparently one of protégé had been stalking her without his knowledge.

So,_ No. He is not goddam alright!_ He wanted to shout. Nothing was alright. He could feel his control slipping away every damned second.

But Bruce gritted his teeth and took a breather. He clicked his comlink and answered. "….Just find them. Fast…"

Because he wasn't sure how long before he would spontaneously combust. And he wanted his questions answered before that happened.

* * *

Sometimes Dick wondered, If spending Summer Break to train bratty little spawns of the devil instead of laying on the beach and sipping frozen Margarita would worth anything. And the fact these brats weren't really spawns of Devils but the senior members of the Justice League.

"Are we done yet?"

Dick glared thru his white lenses on his mask at the person who asked this same damn question for the five times within ten minutes.

Veronica Queen A.K.A. Arrowette, Leaned against the practice dummy. Looking down at her perfect manicure hands, checking cuticles. She wore two pieces bright pink workout clothes that show her midriff. Her long blond hair pulled up in a neat ponytail. Her expression bored as she sucked on her dum-dum.

"We'll be done when I said we are" Dick suppressed his irritation and answered. Before turned back to Superboy who using his head pounding on the dummy…literary.

"Superboy! You're supposed to get out of the straitjacket without killing the hostage that tied to you!" Dick yelled.

"But you said not to use my superstrenght in front of the hostage!" Superboy tilted his head back to him, frowning.

"And why do you keep buttheading the hostage?"

"To knock him out?"

"And then what?"

"Umm….then use my superstrenght after he passed out?"

Arrowette snorted from behind him. Dick just rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

These two. The junior members of Justice League or that was a pretty title of _Hi! I am a superhero's little brat!_ Arrowette―the spoiled princess of Green Arrow and Black Canary who spent half the training time texting, eating her lollipops and more texting. And then…there was Superboy. He was eager to learn, Dick gotta give him that. But, sometimes Dick wondered if his Kryptonian gene was eating his brain cells? Like Cancer? Because Dick wouldn't say the boy was stupid, if you'd seen him with picking up girls. That kid was a goddamn genius with the ladies. Though…it didn't do much help if he got sent into a mission where there was no female around. Would the kid get his head blown off because he didn't know what to do?

Dick sighed again. ….why couldn't these two be more like Tim? If only Bruce let Tim joined the junior members. Tim would have more patient with them than he was.

Talk about the impossible….

There was no way in hell Bruce would let Tim join these two. After he saw the reviews of their training. Bruce would say it was a waste of time and that Tim belonged in Gotham. Dick remembered when Bruce learned that he joined the Justice league without consulting him.

Sometimes, Bruce forgot that even Dick, his former protégé, former partner. But he was his own person, that Bruce didn't own him, that he wasn't a property of Batman.

"Oracle to Nightwing"

Barbara's voice rang from his comlink, dissipated his train of thought in less than a second.

"Hey, Babe…I mean, Yes, Oracle?"

He could hear her scowling when she replied. "Batman needs you at Mainframe Quarter of the Watchtower ASAP" Barbara paused when she heard Superboy yelped as he tripped the chain and slammed himself into the nearest dummy that happened to be the one Arrowette was leaning on, the girl shrieked and leaped away in time before he crashed. "And I take it you still up there babysitting?"

Babysitting sounded about right.

"What's this about?" Sighing he turned away from the two trainees before he help himself out of misery by choking his own neck.

"Batman didn't say. But I need to get in touch with Robin. Batman wants him up there as well…And I still can't locate him. He turns off all his electronics, including the PDA and the comlink…."

_Well, hell….what in the world is Tim up to now?_ Dick rubbed his aching temples with his gloved hands, ignoring Arrowette's shrieking something unintelligent at Superboy in the background.

It wasn't like Tim to do things on impulse. First he stalked that weird girl…though he thought maybe Tim just infatuated with her or something. Not that he would blame Tim, that girl was really a looker. Now he turned off the locator, breaking another of Bruce's rule.

Never turned off the locator, in case of emergency rescue.

Well, That meant Tim was up to something. Even used his newest disguise earlier today, though…his adopted brother acted like a boy on his first date that just a typical surveillance.

Dick frowned. He realized he didn't catch anything Barbara just said. "…..Anyway, you better go see him soon. He sounded…um…..just go see him, alright?"

"Will do" He said before cut off his commlink. Taking a look at the time, still have about fifteen minutes to go.

Crashing sound echoed the training room accompanied with girly screech. Dick rubbed his temple and decided to end this Escapology class before Arrowette decided to stab Superboy with her Kryptonite laced nails.

Thanks the lord for a small favor that Bruce never adopted a girl.

* * *

The sliding door whoosh opened. His eyes caught the screen before he even stepped in.

Dick remembered those surveillance photos that Tim uploaded, he didn't even ask why his adopted brother used his password to login to Justice League Database. But now that he saw what was on the screen. His jaw almost hit the ground.

"I want full story. Now" Bruce didn't even turn his face to greet him. The man just stood with his hands braced on the edge of the keyboard. Even though he didn't raise his voice, Dick could feel his spine started going frigid.

"Umm….I don't think Tim―"

And then he turned to him. Their eyes locked. "I wasn't asking"

Dick swallowed.

Well, shit. Little bro….how would you get out of this one?

* * *

Lysandra wasn't sure what she hated more.

Waking up on her stomach, face smothering into pillow. Or, waking up with handcuffs on her wrists.

But with her luck, of course that she got both of the options.

Damn everything to Hades!

Lysandra squinted her eyes and try to glance over her shoulder, trying to figure out what in Hades was going on. Or better yet, what was going on.

Despite her awkward position, she was able to see that she was laying down on the bed, a blanket covered her body. Definitely not hers, from the socks that hanging out from the hamper nearby the bed.

The room was small but cozy. A set of expensive looking laptop sat on the other end of the small room by the closet that its doors were slightly ajar. She got a glimpse of a fade gray armchair at the other end of the room with some black fabric hanging over. Turning her face to the other side, she could see the window leading out to the fire escape, outside was night time. But she could still hear traffic from outside, though not as loud as she used to. Was she even still on Gotham?

Her hair was still braided though tousled. Twisting her body, a sharp pain shot up her body from her back. And memories flashed through her mind…

The artifact, the warehouse, that horse face whore and Steve….

By the gods! Steve!

Panic hit her in the gut as she struggled with the handcuffs. Memory of her loft got blew up sky high and Tim stuck tranquilizer in her neck, _twice_.

Fury bubbled inside, Lysandra gritted her teeth and pulled hard at her restrains. "That little piece of Minotaur's shi―"

"Hey! Don't have to call me names, alright?" On cue, Tim appeared at the door, holding a tray of food. "I was trying not to get you killed!"

"I wasn't asking. You twat―" kicking her legs, and pulled some more at her handcuffs.

"Oi!" Tim let out a long sigh. He put the tray down on the table by the laptop and leaned back to table, arms crossed over his chest, legs crossed at ankles.

"Let me out of this at once! You hear me!?" Lysandra shouted and slammed her body the bed. Only her wrists were tied so the rest of her body was pretty much free to move. The wooden headboard started to bang against the wall.

"Umm….you might want to stop doing that…."

"WHY" Bang! "THE HELL" Bang! Bang! "NOT!" Bang!

"Well….." Tim trailed off, making Lysandra glanced back over her shoulder. And realized the blanket that covered her, slid off to the floor….leaving her nothing but underwear and sport bra she wore the night before.

Flame flushed her face.

"YOU PERVERT LITTLE PIECE OF SH―"

"Hey! I was trying to tend your wound, Alright? How do you expect me to do it with your clothes in the way?"

"I expected you to leave it the hell alone! It'd have healed itself!"

"Well, excuse me. I was just trying to _save you_ from blood lose!"

"I didn't ask you to!"

"But Mr. Trevor asked me!"

They both breathed heavily from their yelling session. Her eyes stung from the mention of Steve's name. Tim's pale face flushed deep red then he let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, I'm sorry I undressed you, under the circumstance, I was just trying to do what should be done"

"Where are my clothes, Weapons?"

"Clothes…over there" He pointed at the armchair. "Weapons, I confiscated them. For now"

"_Confiscated?_" Was he friggin' kidding her? "You have no right to do that! I have to get out of here and find Stev―"

"Lysandra…." Tim's voice softened. Oh no, she didn't like that tone at all. He was using _that_ voice trying to coax her to calm down. "There…there was nothing left but debris. I went and checked at your apartment after I tended to you…"

"Wh…what are you saying?"

"Fire department found two bodies, Lysandra….Mr. Trevor didn't make it from the fire"

"No" The pain squeezed in her chest, making it so hard for her to breath. "No, he can't die….he was just brought back to life to help me! He can't just….._die_!"

"I'm sorry"

"No! Not again! Not this again!" She screamed, trashed from the restrains, feeling the wetness on her cheeks. Was she crying? "Let me go! LET ME OUT!"

"Stop it! Your wound's going to reopen if you kept moving around!" Tim rushed over and pressed his hand over her shoulder blade but she only trashed harder.

"I don't want to tranq you again, don't make m―OW!" Lysandra didn't know how but she managed to kick his nose with her foot. But not for long because Tim now grabbed her ankle.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! AND LET ME OUT!" She screamed louder. Didn't care if the whole city would hear what she was shouting. She wanted out. RIGHT NO―

"Shit! Tim! What have yo―Oh…"

A new voice startled them, they both froze with Tim holding one of her ankle high in the air and the other hand pushed Lysandra who both hands cuffed to the wooden headboard, flat on the mattress. She glance over her shoulder at the source of that voice. Seeing Tim's adopted brother standing with his jaw hitting the floor.

"….Umm…Please, Excuse me" He said in apologetic tone after several seconds, then retreated back the way he came from. The door swing shut with a _click!_.

Both of them turned to look at each other. For a good few minutes until Tim yelped and let go of both her shoulder and ankle as if they were hot coal. Her leg fell and hit the mattress, the movement sent the pain shot up from her still tendered wound to her brain. Lysandra grinded her molars and turned her face into the pillow. Not wanting to let him see that the wound still hurt like a bitch.

"I….umm…I was bringing you food, thought you probably hungry when you wake up" Lysandra realized Tim moved backward to where he set the tray down when he first entered the room, not sure how he managed to retreat so fast, not that she give a flying monkey at the moment. Lysandra shot him a glare.

"I don't want food. I want my clothes and my hands to be free!"

"Sorry, can't do. Since we both know you'd probably run head long to find those witches with your wound still tendered" Tim moved closer, got folding tray table open by the bed before set the food on it. Lysandra ignored the delicious smell of whatever in that bowl.

Deciding not to look at the food, she shot him another scowl. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" Giving her innocent look, he asked.

"_THIS_" She gestured with her eyes. "Don't you realize already that everyone who help me…." _Died_. But the word stuck in her throat. Her mouth opened to said it but it wouldn't come out willingly. Tears threatened to fall but she wouldn't let it come. She fought hard to hold it.

Tim moved closer. "Lysandra…."

And damned that voice! That soothing voice, he didn't even say anything word, just her name. He just said her name! And the wall she built was about to crumble down.

Her stomach decided it was a good time to growl. Loudly.

Her face flushed. And Tim just laughed. _The Jerk_!

"I see that your body seemed to disagree with you" He said after a good minute of laughing his butt off.

"Well, My body doesn't always know what best for it!" Lysandra gave him her best glare…but the jerk seemed to be immune to it already! Ugh! "Fine! I'll eat! But…did you forget something?"

"Something?..." Raising a brow at her question, so Lysandra tilted her head toward her bounded hands. "Oh! Sorry…."

Tim pulled a small key out of his pants pocket and released her left hand. Lysandra waited for him to uncuff the other but Tim just slipped the key back in his pocket and walked over to the closet. As soon as Lysandra twisted her body back to sit properly a piece of fabric hit her in the face before slid down into her lap.

Looking down with a scowl, she found a white t-shirt laying there.

"Put that on and eat your food. I'll be back" Tim said and rushed to the door.

"Hey! How do you expect me to put it on with one hand!" Lysandra called out but it was too late. Tim reached for the door swung it opened, slid through and slammed it shut.

Finally she was alone again. With one hand still cuffed to the bed and in nothing but her underwear.

Angry, she punched the pillow hard. "Why you little piece of―OW!"

Pain rippled through her body from the back wound. Lysandra gritted her teeth and mentally cursed at everything. When the pain subsided, she looked at the food tray then back to the t-shirt in her lap then back to the food.

Sighing, she grabbed the soft fabric and slid it on, her left and her head through the designated holes but left her right side stretched over her shoulder. Lysandra gave a scowl at the state she was in then eyed the food.

"At least give me some pants or something…." She muttered.

Only to be answered by the rumble from her stomach. As if to tell her to shut up and start eating.

Well. She could always start plotting her escape when she was full.

* * *

Slamming the door shut, Tim willed himself to lean back against it. Trying hard to even his breathing, he had no idea what was it about Lysandra riled him up so much.

Okay, that wasn't all true. He knew what exactly what _parts_ of her riled him up. Didn't mean he was happy to admit it.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Tim tried to push the memories of her near nakedness out of his mind. Last night when he finally dropped her unconscious body on his bed at Dick's apartment in Bludhaven, his brain was too busy trying to tend her gushing injury. His mind didn't even pause and even second guessing when he stripped the leather off her body.

But soon after he cleaned the wounds (including the one she cut earlier on her hand) and made sure the bleeding stopped. And his amusement mind stopped after seeing the flesh started to knit itself back together though very slowly. Tim realized he was staring at her near naked state. Panic punched him hard, almost staggered him. Tim did only things his brain telling him to.

He ran like hell.

Well, after he handcuffed her to the bed and throw a blanket on her, of course. At least, his mind wasn't all short circuits. Tim blamed all his reactions to his hormones. Since he was a teenage boy, he could always blame his attraction to Lysandra to his raging hormones.

After collected himself, Tim went back to check Lysandra's apartment in China Town. He hung out in the shadow watched Fire Department taming the flame. By the time it was done. Only burnt debris left, GCFD found two bodies, burned beyond recognition. No doubt, it was Mr. Trevor and the red head witch.

Contemplated how he was going to tell Lysandra.

Not that it mattered now, he already told her. And the girl sure as hell was plotting an escape or worse, the way to kill him while eating the chicken soup he brought for her.

"Look, bro…." Dick's voice brought him back to reality. One he wasn't sure he wanted to face at the moment. Tim looked up at his adopted brother, already changed out of his Nightwing suit, wearing jeans and t-shirt. Arms crossed and leaned against the kitchen counter. Dick continued. "I'm not judging you if you got some kinky fetish going on but You do realized who the hell you got handcuffed to your damn bed?!"

How could he forget? Tim rubbed his face with both palms of his hands. He muttered. "Yeah….I do.." He paused and looked through the fingers. "And it's not what you think…"

"It doesn't matter what I think. Bruce knows"

"What?" _Shit._

"Bruce. He saw the result of the DNA test you were trying to compare….And man, he's not happy. The man looked like he was about to blow a gasket" Dick's eyes fixed on him. Tim knew he was gauging his reaction to the news. But Tim wouldn't let Dick knew he was about to flip a lid himself, so he put his calm mask on and went around the counter, ignoring his brother's eyes and grabbed his half eaten ham sandwich he left on the plate and put it in his mouth. Chewing it slowly.

"Bruce also looking for you, bro…." Dick dropped another bomb. "…he figured out you were the one who took the surveillance photos. And the fact that you turned off every electronic device he couldn't track your location….he knew you're hiding something…or rather you're hiding the girl"

Awesome. He was deeper in the shit pit than he thought. Now Bruce knew Tim's hiding his _daughter_.

The reason Tim ever think of comparing her DNA was because Lysandra's Amazon heritage, though that was a long shot. But her similarities to Wonder Woman had pushed him into that direction. Lysandra shared her mother's exotic cheekbones, celestial nose and those luscious lips.

But her eyes…..How could he not see the obvious? They had the same eyes. Bruce and Lysandra shared the same dark blue color, though Lysandra's eyes shaped rounder. They also possessed the infamous glare. The way their sharp eyes piecing into your soul, ripping all the secrets of the universe inside of you, forcing you to bare them all to the world.

And Tim remembered what the possessed man said in the warehouse. _"I should have known you would run to your daddy" _

Plus the fact that Lysandra demanded him to take a blood vow, preventing him to tell Bruce about her. It almost made senses now. What he still didn't get was why would she didn't want Bruce to know. From her reaction she knew exactly who her father was.

"You know what this mean?" Swallowed the food he barely tasted, Tim asked Dick.

"Beside, that old rumor about our Bruce had hot for Wonder Woman was true?" Amusement in Dick's tone almost made Tim laugh. "….Yeah. It means you are in deep shit for not telling him, bro…He has Babs tracking your location. As well as the girl"

"You didn't tell him I was here though, right?"

"I just told him the truth, that you came and go as you please. I didn't keep track of you since the last time you were here using my computer to hack the database"

"And he believes you?"

"I don't think he believe in anything at this point. But Babs is keeping him busy with some other unrelated facts" Dick shrugged.

"Unrelated facts?"

"About a pair of vigilantes caught the museum robbers tonight. Apparently one of the robber was force to call 911. And they recorded the vigilantes' voices. Babs said one of them sound like you. So she sent Bruce that way…"

Tim forced himself not to stop chewing but it was too late. Dick's eyes went wide.

"_You_ were there?!"

But Tim didn't answered. He just shut his eyes and swallowed the rest of his sandwich. Ignoring Dick's muttering, "Shit, Tim…Just Shit…"

Yeah. Tim couldn't agree more.

* * *

Lysandra licked the spoon clean. Okay, she admitted she was hungry. No denying food since she didn't know when the next time she would be eating again.

But now that she was full, it was time to get the hell out of here.

Eyeing her still cuffed hand, Lysandra moved the foldable table out of her way and slid closer to the headboard. The cuff clanking against her silver bracelet, the standard model she familiar with. And Tim didn't even use double lock.

Although, Lysandra admitted she wasn't a big fan of what Steve's occupation used to be. She hated tricksters, liars and his job those were all in his resume. But Steve was still a decent man, he did his job to serve his country. Thinking of him she felt a sharp pain in her mind.

Another death because of her. She swore to all the gods on Olympus. His death would be avenged.

Steve wasn't just her keeper, to her he was also a teacher. She was grateful for things that Steve had taught her over the short time they stay together. Picking handcuffs was one of them. Though she wasn't very proficient with it yet. Now it was time to put the knowledge to good use.

Lysandra reached her free hand under her braided hair, poked around until she found one of the bobby pins she'd hidden there and pulled it out. As she pried the pin open and bit off the rubber head of one end, her eyes fixed at the door. Tim and Richard Grayson still talking in hush tone. Lysandra could tell something was going on. Possibly that something was her. So she needed to do this fast and get the hell out of here.

Remembering what Steve'd taught, Lysandra slid the bobby pin in the keyhole. Bending it in the required shape. Took it out and quickly examined before stuck it back and proceeding to get herself free.

Her heart thumped loud in her chest as Lysandra twist and turn the pin trying to get the locking mechanism to release itself. The pain in her back still stung. Meaning she would need a few more hours for it to be completely healed. As soon as she got out of here, she would need a place to crash until she was complete mended. She wouldn't even have a scar from it.

But Steve was still dead. Just like Artemis and Epione.

She would always heal but someone else was still dead.

_Don't you realize, Princess. That it won't matter. They will die because of you. _

Her hand shook as her nerve starting to flay causing the bobby pin to slip and fell on the floor. Lysandra cursed. She stumbled and reached her free hand to the carpet floor, trying to find that bobby pin.

A droplet fell on the mattress as she bent down. Realizing her cheeks wet with unaware tears, Lysandra pulled the T-shirt up and rubbed the wetness away. A sob escape her. Why in Hades would she be crying? It wouldn't help her out of this damn handcuff. She didn't have time for emotional shit right now.

"I will not be afraid" She said to herself. Remembering her first few weeks with Artemis. how her mentor had taught her the way to psych herself.

"I will not break" Even her breathing and holding the tears inside.

"I will not give up" Looking down at her hands. Flexing until they no longer shaking.

Lysandra grabbed another pin from her hair. No sense to waste time looking for the one she dropped. Taking a long deep breath. She set to work once again.

This time, she determined that she would be free.

* * *

"So, this girl is really Bruce's daughter, huh?" Dick said, rubbing his chin. Tim didn't have to answered him that. They both already knew. After telling Dick a reader digest version of his situation. "You do know Bruce's going to skin your hind and hang it on the cave wall, right?"

Oh, Tim wouldn't doubt it.

"Doesn't matter. Lysandra had me take a blood vow not to tell Bruce. And there's bigger problem. Other two witches are still out there.…."

"Uh-huh"

Scowling at Dick's scrutiny, Tim asked. "Why are you giving me that look?"

"What look?" Dick batted his eyes innocently at him. But Tim didn't buy the BS.

"_That_ look you're having" He pointed.

"Maybe because you let the girl led you around by the nose?"

"I _did not_ let her lead me around!"

"Uh-huh. Whatever you say, bro…"

Grinding his molars. Tim reassured. "I did not"

But Dick just snorted. "Come on, Tim. You forgot who trained us? It's the one and only, The Batman. We lie, cheat and steal for the greater good of Gotham city. When was the last time you let something like a blood vow stop you from telling Bruce about the lead to these murderers slash robbers?"

The answer would be Never. Or at least Bruce never caught him with one, anyway. Tim just frowned at his brother. "I guess, it's too late now to make excuses, anyway"

"Yeah, well….sooner or later Bruce's going to connect the dots. And you know with his brain. It would be any moment now" Dick said. "And we listened to the 911 tape, the girl sound crazier than she actually look. Plus the conditions of those thugs you two left behind…Bruce's not going to be happy at all"

_No kidding._ Tim thought. Remembering how Lysandra stabbed one of the thug in the thigh as interrogation tactic. The girl was no doubt bloodthirsty. And that same girl probably plotting a way to flay him alive in that room right now. Even without Bruce waiting in near future to do that job.

How in the hell he was in this Charlie Foxtrot*?

Tim forced himself not to wince. "I hope her wounds healed before that happened….she got stabbed, shot at and tossed around in one single night. Yet she still fought like a wild cat" Tim rubbed his bruised nose as a reminder. "With her accelerated healing, I still say it'd be at least a few more hours"

"Can she fly?"

"What?"

"Well, you know. She's Wonder Woman's daughter….can she fly?"

Good, question. But since she seemed to be using grapping hook gun similar to his. Tim doubted it. "I don't think so….maybe Wonder Woman's abilities are not running in genetic…But she's trained though. The girl fought like a man" Hard and Dirty. But Tim didn't add that to equation for Dick. "….Why?"

"Well….." He lifted his watched up. Tim saw the red dot blinking. "Because my silent alarm just told me someone just broke the window to the fire escape―"

Shit.

"―But since she can't fly….Hey! Where are you going?" Dick asked when Tim bolted out of the chair.

"To check on the craze woman…Only Lord knows what she's trying to do now!?"

"You do realized are on fourteenth floor and she's handcuffed to your bed, right? There's no way―"

Fumbled with his keys Tim just said "Oh, believe me. For that girl, she will find a way"

The door of Dick's guestroom slam opened as Both himself and Dick rushed in. The bed was empty, the food tray also sat aside empty, her clothes on the armchair gone. His closet wide opened. The window glass to the fire escape shattered.

"Shit!" Tim rushed to his closet. And one look confirmed "She took my utility belt!"

Meaning she got his grapping hook gun and some other things.

"I'm going to try to reactivated the locator in the belt. You check the fire escape. Since this building is one of the taller one. She has to go down a few floors before she can sling that hook anywhere" Dick said and rushed out of the room.

Tim dashed to the broken window. Swiped the glass out of the way before using his keys to open the lock. Quickly sliding his body out the narrow platform.

As soon as his feet dropped on the platform, a fist came flying out of darkness, hitting him in the face. He staggered.

And before he knew it with a clank on his wrist Tim realized he was cuffed to the railing with his own handcuff.

"Seriously, Stiff. We need to stop meeting like this" Lysandra smiled. She was back in her own black leather clothes. His utility belt strapped across her shoulder. "….I swear, everytime we meet. Either you or me are bleeding…."

"Lysandra…" Tim started but she cut him off with a cold stare.

"Give me your key, you traitor" Ah, so she overheard him and Dick too. _Just frigging great._ He could felt the blood pouring out from his nose.

"I didn't break the vow―"

"I don't give a flying duck! He knows either way! Now give me handcuff key or I will push you off the railing. I bet it this slimy metal won't hold your hanging body for long…."

"Why don't you let us help? Your father―"

"I have no father" Her tone sharp as she stepped closer. She said through a gritting teeth as she leaned in. "I don't need one and I don't want one"

She didn't say anything else, instead sliding her hand into his back pocket. And despite the situation Tim couldn't ignore that way her hand palmed his behind or her sweet exotic scent of honeysuckle.

Screw you, hormones!

The contact less than a few second and Lysandra produced the handcuff key out of his pocket. Tim let out a sharp breath. Lysandra stepped back away, oblivious to his reaction.

Without a word, she tossed the key away to the dark alley below.

"Look, we can work this out. We can still get those witches…" Tim tried to reason with her again.

"Oh, I know. But it will be me and only me to finish those bitches, stiff" She leaned back before adding, "…..And this is for seeing me naked!"

Before he could ask, A flash of silver came into view. She slugged him hard in the face. His head snapped backward and bounced off the metal railing.

His vision went dark.

* * *

"―im!...Tim!"

His head hurt like a bitch and someone needed to stop yelling his name! Dick's face came into focus. "Jesus….your nose probably broken"

"Oww…." Tim groaned. His head hurt, his nose hurt. The girl punched him twice in the face! And Dick talked too goddamn loud!

Helping him up. After Dick used his key to uncuff him from the railing. He chuckled. "Damn, bro. She did a number on you within a few minutes? I guess Apple doesn't fall far from a tree, huh?"

Tim wanted to tell Dick to shut up and stop being a dick. But well….He's Dick.

Wiped the blood off his nose, Tim asked. "Did you reactivate the locator on my belt?"

"Yep. Look like she's heading back to Gotham" His adopted brother said. "But you do what his mean, right?"

Oh, he knew it alright. Now that they reactivated the locator. Barbara could also track it as well, meaning so did Bruce.

When they made it back inside the apartment, Dick handed him a pack of ice for his swollen nose. Tim winced as he pressed it on. "I'm going after her….."

"Maybe you should let Bruce know first?"

"Not an option. She's angry and being vengeful. Only lord knows what she's going to do….I think I might be able to talk her out of being suicidal"

"You just got slugged in the face, _twice_. You want the third time?"

_Third Time's a charm._ "She caught me off-guard. I won't let it happened again…" Tim shrugged. "Besides, I put a mind sedative on her soup. Sooner or later, she's going to drop somewhere….and I think I know where's she going…"

Dick gave him a long look. Before let out exasperated sigh. "Alright. But be careful. And do not turn off the GPS locator again, Got it? I will try to hold Bruce off for a while….don't know how long that's will last though…"

"Thanks, Dick" Tim said and dropped ice pack on the kitchen table. He grabbed his bike key and was about to go out the door.

"Wait!...you're not changing?"

"Nah. This way she'd feel less threatening" Tim shrugged and waved good bye before he went out the door.

He parked his bike a block away from Dick's apartment as usual. So Tim half jogged-half walked when the elevator slid open on the lobby floor. It was still early in the evening, traffic wasn't so bad since it wasn't weekend. A high possibility that she heading to her own apartment in China Town. Tim could get there in less than twenty minutes. Hopefully He would be able to talk some senses into her. Or at least caught her before she passed out from the sedative.

As his bike came into view, Tim checked his PDA again. Confirming his theory when the red dot blinking toward the subway line leading back to Gotham. Putting his PDA back in his belt, he was about to deactivate the alarm. When the flowery scent hit his nose.

But nothing like Lysanda's. This scent was too sweet, too sickly sweet. He remembered that scent…..

"Hello, Handsome" A voice came from behind. Tim whirled around to see a pretty blond woman came out of nowhere. Her designer dress and shoes contrasted with the large man standing behind her.

Tim's heart dropped to the ground when he remembered she was one of the museum robbers. She smiled but all he could see was pure cruelty that radiate off her like a total maniac. "….We didn't get to introduce ourselves last time, did we? I'm Caroline….."

And she snapped her finger. An unseen force so powerful knocked him backward, he crash landed into the building wall nearby.

Pain erupted in his head. his vision blurred. The blond woman stood over him, as well as the large man with his eyes grew bright yellow in the dark.

The woman smile again. "…..and you are my next meal"

And then…..Nothing.

* * *

There was nothing left on the top floor of their loft apartment. Only burnt remains of what was left behind yellow police tape. Lysandra gripped the hard edge of the building from across the street. Holding in a sob. She bit hard on her bottom lips.

"Too bad he has to die, isn't it?"

An unfamiliar male voice came from behind. Lysandra's spine stiffened. She slowly turned around and saw a tall blond man in a tight black T-shirt, Leather pants and biker boots standing there. He also wore a pair aviator shade. Who in Hades, wore sunglass when there was no sun?

As if to answered her mental question. His took off the shade and stepped closer. Lysandra's heart hammered when she saw the swirling, glowing red iris. He gave her a smile that didn't match his eyes.

Swallowed hard. She gritted the word out. "…..Ares"

* * *

*Charlie Foxtrot is a military slang for Clusterfuck. In case anyone didn't know.

**Ps;** Huh. Always end at cliff-hanger. I am so sorry again! LOL

Next chapter will be posted around third week of June. Since I will be back in Thailand it might take a while to finish the next one.

Thanks everyone for reading. And don't forget to review! I'd love to hear what you guys think!


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